Food Protection Connection: Cookware, Chemicals, and Hazards

(reprinted from Dietary Manager, March 2005)

A typical review of food-related hazards focuses on biological troublemakers, such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites. And rightly so, as pathogens cause the majority of foodborne illnesses. Nevertheless, chemical and physical hazards require control in dietary operations as well. In this article, we’ll take a look at hazards and cookware.

Chemical components of pots, pans, and food packaging materials that have the potential to leach into foods are classified as food additives. As such, they are subject to FDA regulation. At the same time, the new antimicrobial components added to cutting boards and many other consumer products are classified as “pesticide chemicals” and fall under the jurisdiction of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

A “Recipe” for Cookware

What are some of the common materials used in cookware? These include aluminum, copper, iron, and stainless steel.

Aluminum: Aluminum is an excellent heat conductor. It’s lightweight, economical, and stacks up as the major “ingredient” in about half of cookware produced today. By itself, aluminum is a reactive metal, meaning it can react with acid or salty foods to release itself into the food product. Tomato sauce and sauerkraut are two examples of challenging foods. Also, an aluminum pot that is worn or pitted may release excess aluminum into foods.

Because of the leaching concern, many manufacturers further treat the aluminum to eliminate reactivity. By subjecting aluminum to electrochemical baths, manufacturers produce anodized aluminum. Anodized aluminum is also much easier to clean, and its surface is quite stick-resistant.

Are there any dangers? Starting in the 1970s, a number of concerns about aluminum causing Alzheimer’s disease prompted some consumers to discard their aluminum cookware. Today, scientific experts agree that aluminum cookware does not cause Alzheimer’s. As for the amounts of aluminum entering foods through cookware, the FDA offers this perspective:

• Aluminum is the third most common element in the earth’s crust. It is widespread in foods.
• A person using aluminum-containing antacids (at about 50 mg/tablet) may consume as much as 1,000 mg of aluminum per day.
• A person using uncoated aluminum pans for all cooking would take in 3.5 mg/day.
• The FDA states that our ordinary use and consumption of aluminum is entirely safe.

The only other concern raised with aluminum is not a chemical hazard, but a common-sense safety issue. At very high heat for extended time periods, an aluminum pan can “boil dry” and melt, causing burn injuries and/or fire, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. The Commission advises: Do not pre-heat an aluminum pan on high heat. If a pan overheats, do not pick it up until it has cooled. No rocket science here!

Copper: A component of top-of-the-line cookware, copper is prized for its superb and even heat conduction. Like aluminum, it is reactive, so it is typically coated with stainless steel and/or tin. Direct contact of food with copper is in fact dangerous. Although copper is an essential mineral required for health, it can easily over-do itself through food contact. In one copper poisoning case, children drank soda pop from a dispensing machine that contained a copper valve contacting the carbonated water. The children suffered nausea, vomiting, and other toxicity symptoms.

Lined copper, of course, is the norm and is safe. It is important to care for copper cookware properly, avoiding scouring, as this can erode the protective surface. If the lining of a copper pan becomes badly scratched, health experts advise replacing the pan.

Cast iron: Here is an old-fashioned cookware choice that is strong, economical, and a great heat conductor. Unfortunately, it requires intensive care (including frequent coating with oil to prevent rust) and is also heavy to handle. Cast iron imparts iron to foods, which can be a nutritional benefit of using iron cookware. There is no concern with toxicity from iron cookware.

Stainless steel: The second most popular cookware material, stainless steel is quite durable and does not react with foods. Stainless steel is actually an alloy or blend of several metals, including iron and sometimes nickel, molybdenum, or titanium. The only health concern is for individuals who are allergic to nickel, who may react to foods cooked in stainless steel. According to Health Canada, a meal prepared in stainless steel may add about 45 micrograms of chromium (an essential mineral) to food. This is considered within the safe range of 50-200 micrograms per day. Stainless steel is not an even heat conductor, so the bottoms of pans are usually coated with copper or aluminum.

Non-Stick Surfaces

Periodically under question, non-stick coatings for cookware have been around for more than four decades now. In general, these coatings are hard, chemically inert plastics. Materials such as Teflon are used not only in cookware, but also in artificial joints, cell phones, computer chips, and surgical implants. In January 2005, the EPA announced that a Teflon ingredient called PFOA could pose a health risk, but that information is inconclusive at this point, and more evaluation will be forthcoming. It is important to note that the EPA did not cite cookware as a concern, but rather focused on PFOA in the environment and the presence of PFOA in blood.

Experts do say that if a non-stick pan coating should become scratched and flake off, ingestion is not a health hazard. Flakes pass through the body unchanged, with no chemicals being absorbed. As with any cookware, excessive heat is not wise. Pans treated with non-stick coatings and heated to 350-650°F can give off toxic fumes. This could happen if an empty pan is left on a burner unattended for a long time. Most manufacturers advise against using non-stick cooking sprays on this cookware, because the sprays cause buildup that prevents the non-stick surface from working. There is no safety hazard, though.

Crock Pots

Are there any hazards associated with crock pot cookery? At one time lead and cadmium were a concern in ceramic ware. Following a foodborne illness outbreak (lead poisoning) affecting a California family in 1971, the FDA tightened restrictions on these dangerous minerals, which were cropping up in ceramics imported from other countries. The minerals were in the pigments used in glazes. By all reports, this is not a concern today due to FDA control.

Generally, crock pots cook foods at low temperatures, ranging from 170-80°F. Prolonged cooking time compensates for the relatively low temperatures, resulting in safe food, according to the USDA. The USDA provides several food safety guidelines for slow cookers:

• Begin with defrosted meat (not frozen).
• Cut meat into small pieces (i.e. do not cook a whole roast in a crock pot).
• Fill the cooker one-half to two-thirds full. Less or more may result in unsafe temperature management.
• Add water or other liquid, and always choose high-moisture recipes for crock pot cookery. Steam is part of the secret to biological safety during prolonged cooking.

Although isolated occurrences of chemical-related foodborne illness have been reported in the US, cookware is generally safe. A dietary manager choosing and using cookware can train employees to apply common-sense and safety advice in the kitchen, and to follow manufacturers’ advice in caring for kitchen equipment.

 

By Sue Grossbauer