Does Eating Food Wrapped in Aluminum Foil Pose Health Risks? An Expert Says

The use of aluminum foil has been connected to a number of significant illnesses, including renal issues, bone diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and breast cancer in humans. According to a number of investigations, those who have renal or bone illnesses may be at risk from consuming large amounts of aluminum. It is also known that aluminum slows down the pace at which human brain cells divide. One significant metal is aluminum. Its remarkable qualities include its low weight, excellent thermal and electrical conductivity, non-reactivity, and resistance to corrosion. Its importance in the kitchen stems from all of these factors. Where then is the issue? How may aluminum impact us when we don’t consume it?

Aluminum is regarded as neurotoxic, according to Ms. Shlloka Joshii, a Classical Hatha Yoga instructor and diet and lifestyle specialist, in an interview with Jagran English. Aluminum salts have the ability to enter the digestive system and accumulate in a number of human tissues, such as the brain, parathyroid, and bone. Long-term effects on one’s health may result from this. For instance, it has been shown that people with Alzheimer’s disease, a degenerative condition, have significant quantities of aluminum in their brain tissues.

Aluminum Foil’s Health Risks
When aluminum is used to wrap food and cook it at high temperatures, it contaminates the food we consume. According to the results of a study conducted in 2006, heating items such potatoes, onions, fish, and meats in aluminum foil enhanced their aluminum concentration. Additionally, it demonstrated that a higher rate of aluminum leakage occurred when foods with high or low pH levels, or acidic foods—such as citrus fruits (lemon, oranges, pineapples, strawberries, etc.), tomatoes, potatoes, brinjal, and processed foods high in salt—were cooked in contact with aluminum foil. Foods like pickles, tomato-based gravies, cakes, muffins, garlic bread, pickles, and french fries may increase the leaching of aluminum by up to four times.

Smaller quantities of aluminum are easily eliminated by our systems, but greater levels may have negative effects. It is widely accessible due to its low cost and ease of disposal. It is effective at retaining moisture while cooking and transfers heat twice as fast as ordinary metal. Because of all these benefits, it’s often used to wrap meat, fish, bread, poultry, potatoes, and vegetables while grilling or baking. This is problematic since eating really hot food containing aluminum might be unhealthy.

Concerns about the possible health effects of cooking with aluminum foil have been brought up by a recent study. Aluminum salts have the ability to enter our bodies via the stomach and become concentrated in a variety of human tissues, such as the brains, parathyroid glands, and bones. Serious health problems might result from this.

What are some of the elements that lead to leaching, you ask? And when is it okay to use aluminum foil? The length of time the meal is grilled, the temperature at which it is heated, the food’s composition and pH level, and the presence of other ingredients like salt and organic acids are some of the variables that affect how much aluminum migrates into food.

For example, compared to baking at temperatures above 220 oC, the leaching of aluminum occurs more slowly when food covered in aluminum foil is cooked at temperatures below 160 oC. Increased cooking temperatures encourage the food’s absorption of aluminum from the foil.

Is it Risky to Store Food in Aluminum?
Because aluminum foil retains heat and keeps food warm for longer, restaurants find it easier to package their food in these containers. Also, it is inexpensive for them to utilize. Nonetheless, it has been shown that using aluminum foil to prepare and store food increases the amount of aluminum in the meal. For example, several food samples had more aluminum than 60 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg after just one to three days of storage in the aluminum foils.

Certain foods may safely be wrapped in aluminum foil. These are, for a very limited period of time, coconut rice and curd rice. However, items heavy in fat and salt, such as spaghetti, tamarind rice, and tomato rice, shouldn’t be wrapped in aluminum foil.

What Foods Can You Wrap Safely with Aluminum Foil?
Foods that are naturally dry, low in fat, low in acidity, and non-salty may safely be stored in aluminum containers or wrapped in aluminum foil. This contains low-fat fried rice, sandwiches, khakras, and normal chapatis. In another investigation, scientists discovered that food kept in aluminum foil for two years had a rise in aluminum content of 13-21% throughout the course of storage.

The research also showed that cooking and marinating some items, such as mackerel and salmon, in aluminum foil led to a significant, up to 20-fold increase in the amount of aluminum present. The World Health Organization cautions that there is a significant danger to health when ingesting excessive amounts of aluminum from aluminum foil because of leaching.

Strategies For Lowering Aluminum Exposure
Feel free to use it to enclose sandwiches or chapatis in your lunchbox! But keep in mind that you shouldn’t use it for baking or cooking, particularly when the meal is excessively hot, acidic, spicy, or salty.

Additionally, do not store food in aluminum foil. Glass containers are best for storing acidic leftovers, such as those from tomato-based recipes or spicy, salty foods, as opposed to aluminum foil. Food is kept fresh and secure in glass containers.

Using parchment paper when cooking is a fantastic choice. This non-stick, non-toxic paper can tolerate high temperatures and is safe to use for baking or cooking items that are often wrapped in aluminum foil. You may safely line cake pans with parchment paper and use it for baking. It is safe and easy to remove, keeping cake or any other grilled item from adhering to the base.