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Which ones should we be more careful with?

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Aluminum foil is a basic item in any kitchen and one of the most versatile. Despite its thin layer of only a few millimeters, this material protects us from light, oxygen, humidity and germs. Something significant for this fine paper which acts as an absolute barrier and helps us extend the useful life of food.

However, despite its versatility, some doubts arise regarding its use. For example, we may have heard that cooking at high temperatures can transfer chemicals from paper to food. What’s the truth in that? Can you cook with aluminum foil? What precautions should we take?

How much aluminum is too much

This thin and shiny sheet has different functions, although most of the time we use it as packaging or for cooking. Most of the time we take advantage of one of its most remarkable characteristics: it is an excellent conductor of heat, which means that heat and humidity do not escape from packaged foods and, in addition, it is very malleable, which allows us to use it in an infinite and variety of foods of different shapes and sizes – although we will see some nuances here. We can also use it as a bottom coating for baking sheets and prevent food from sticking.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) determines that weekly ingestion of one milligram of aluminum per kilogram of body weight through food is safe. This means that in an adult person weighing around 70 kilos, the aluminum limit is 70 milligrams per week. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), aluminum levels below two milligrams per kilogram of body weight per week are not likely to cause health problems. Additionally, we probably don’t consume enough to pose a health risk, since it is estimated that only 0.1% of ingested aluminum is absorbed in the intestinal tract and becomes bioavailable.

Water and certain foods, such as bread, flour products, certain vegetables such as spinach and chard, as well as offal, seafood, coconut, spices, tea and herbal teas are among the foods that contain higher concentrations of aluminum (between 5 and 10mg/kg). The question here is whether we are consuming too much aluminum and whether we may be exposed to high levels from aluminum foil migrating into food. A problem that arises and which can cause concern when we consider aluminum as a heavy metal which, unlike other substances, can have effects on the body if large quantities accumulate there.

Precautions for using aluminum foil in contact with food

Although some research has shown that aluminum in cookware, containers, or paper can leach the metal into food, it is important to know how much we are ingesting if we use this paper. As the Catalan Food Safety Agency (ACSA) warns, the migration of aluminum into food is “unimportant under normal conditions”.

Aluminum is only a problem when added to total consumption, although some EFSA data suggests that total aluminum consumption is lower than we usually think, meaning that even if we ingest a little of this metal via the aluminum foil, it should not pose a risk.

However, certain circumstances require us to be a little more careful, such as if foods are acidic, such as tomato sauce or applesauce, or if we are cooking at very high temperatures.

And, although aluminum foil itself is not dangerous for health, as a precautionary measure and as established by a European Council study on metals and their use in contact with food, it should not be Do not grill foods that are very acidic or contain a lot of salt in aluminum. foil, because the acid or salt from cut apples, for example, can release aluminum ions from the foil and these can migrate into the food.

It is also not recommended to use metal or aluminum containers such as pans, trays or casserole dishes to heat, cook or store hot foods with high acidity content, such as fruits and vegetables, as aluminum is soluble in acidic pH at high temperatures. It would therefore be recommended to avoid, if possible, wrapping acidic foods in aluminum foil and replace it with aluminum foil. movie plastic.

A risk assessment published a few years ago in the International Journal of Electrochemical Science identified some key factors that could increase the amount of aluminum that can leach into food. And he listed four:

  • Cook at high temperature
  • Use foil when cooking highly acidic foods, such as tomatoes or lemons.
  • Cooking with aluminum utensils and aluminum plates or baking dishes
  • Use aluminum foil

Despite everything, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has confirmed on occasion that the quantities that can migrate are insignificant, almost negligible, around 0.1 mg/day, very far from the milligram that it considers safe. .

In general, foods that are less acidic, less salty, and contain less liquid tend to absorb lower amounts of aluminum. However, meat or fish marinated in lemon tends to absorb more when cooked with foil.

So, is it safe to cook with aluminum foil? According to this study published in Food Science & Nutrition, it can be used safely up to 200ºC in the oven and for grilling over direct heat. Research findings suggest that foods cooked in foil at temperatures around 160ºC lose less aluminum than those cooked at higher temperatures (above 220ºC).

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