Aluminium Foils – are they really safe?

Aluminium is one of the most abundant elements in earth crust's mass (8% of the earth crust's mass); due to this fact, it can be explained the prevalence of aluminium content in food, though with concentrations below 5 mg/kg. Minimal exposure of aluminium to our bodies is not a problem. Human bodies can excrete small amounts very efficiently; an aluminium tolerable daily intake of 1 mg/kg body weight /day has been established by the World Health Organization (WHO) of the United Nation (UN)

Aluminium has a variety of industrial applications because of its attractive properties such as low specific gravity, high thermal and electric conductivity and attractive appearance. Aluminium is also preferred due to its corrosion resistance and easy processing properties. 

Aluminium is widely used for manufacturing household utensils and packaging materials. Aluminium foil is widely used for packaging, storing, and cooking of various foods. Aluminium foil is broadly used in culinary preparation of different food types due to its ease of use, disposability, and properties such as heating quality, that it transfers heat twice as quickly than regular metal. 

It is common practice to wrap meat, fish as well as breads and grill or cook them in the oven in order to prevent water uptake and avoid direct heat. It is getting more and more common to use aluminium foil to wrap meat, chicken, potatoes, and some vegetables prior to oven cooking. The widespread use of aluminium foils makes them a significant potential source of dietary aluminium.

• Aluminium contamination of food represents an important issue research found relationships between aluminium intake and certain serious illness such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, dialysis encephalopathy, bone disorder, human breast cancer, etc.

• It is also considered to be a neurotoxin. 

• Aluminium salts can be absorbed by the gut and concentrated in various human tissues including bone, parathyroid, and brain. 

• High concentrations of aluminium have been detected in brain tissues of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. 

• Various reports have suggested that high aluminium intakes may be harmful to some patients with bone diseases or renal impairments.

• Aluminium reduces the growth rate of human brain cells.

• The findings from scientific research in 2012 clearly indicated that the use of aluminium foil for cooking contributes significantly to the daily intake of aluminium through the cooked foods. 

• It was also found that increment of aluminium in food (beef, fish fillet, onion, pork and potato) was more during heating in aluminium foil.

• The researcher confirmed that aluminium foil side (shiny/dull) did not play an important role in aluminium leaching.

• Aluminium leakage from aluminium foil is higher when food with low or high pH is in contact; higher rate of leakage was also measured in more salty food.

• The amount of leaching was found to be high in acidic solutions, and even higher with the addition of spices, by up to 4 times higher. 

• The aluminium migration seems to depend on several factors, e.g. grilling duration, heating temperature, composition, food pH value, and presence of any other substances (such as organic acids and salt).

• It was found that during baking of food wrapped in aluminium foil at lower temperatures (<160ºC), the leaching of aluminium is at a lower rate than when the process of baking is done at temperatures over 220ºC. 

• It was reported that cooking temperature is more important in aluminium leaching than cooking time. Higher cooking temperatures stimulated the leaching of aluminium from foil to meat because, at elevated temperatures, the oxide layer becomes thicker and changes from an amorphous to a crystalline structure.

• The hazardous side of aluminium foil used for food preparation and storage was also emphasized by the finding that aluminium content in food was increased during 1 to 3 days of storage in aluminium foil. The aluminium content was higher than 60 mg/kg and more than 20 mg/kg in ham and cheese samples stored for 3 days in aluminium foil, respectively.

• The researchers monitored aluminium content during 2 years of storage of food and found a constant significant aluminium increase during the whole period of storage (by 1,321%).

• Aluminium content increased by 20 times after marinating and heating of salmon and mackerel samples. The content of aluminium increased cans with tomato cream (by 65%) and curry sauce (by 187%)

• According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the obtained values were considered to be unacceptable.

• Excessive consumption of aluminium from leaching aluminium foil poses an extreme health risk. 

While wrapping chapatis or sandwiches in your or your kid’s lunch box with aluminium is largely safe, is is advisable that:

 

• Aluminium foil may be used sparingly for packing but not for cooking, especially at higher temperatures.

• Avoid cooking or baking in aluminium foils, especially foods that are highly acidic, spiced or containing salt.

• Use parchment paper instead of aluminium foil for high-temperature cooking  

• Avoid storing food in aluminium foils. Store acidic leftovers in glass containers instead of wrapped in foil.