Cookware isn’t something that most students think about on a daily basis. If it crosses our minds at all, it’s usually because we’ve forgotten to wash it and would rather avoid the grisly task of scrubbing out the frying pan. However, cookware plays an important role in our food preparation, and this comes with some potential risks.
Some materials can enter our food as we cook it, and in most cases this is harmless as long as we maintain our cookware and use it as intended. However, there are some myths about what materials are harmless and which are potentially hazardous. The Government of Canada has a website for the safe use of cookware, where they detail the benefits and risks of common materials used in pots and pans.
Aluminum
Aluminum is a popular choice for cookware because it is lightweight, conducts heat well, and is relatively inexpensive. The average Canadian ingests about 10 milligrams of aluminum daily, and most of this comes from food. Aluminum pots and pans account for only one or two milligrams of this total. The World Health Organization estimates that adults can consume up to 50 milligrams of aluminum per day without experiencing harmful effects to their health.
The longer food is stored in aluminum cookware, the more aluminum makes its way into the food itself. Leafy vegetables and acidic foods, such as tomatoes and citrus products, absorb the most aluminum. The easiest way that aluminum dissolves during cooking is from pitted or worn pots and pans, which typically happens as they age.
Anondized aluminum cookware has a hard, non-stick surface that makes it scratch-resistant, durable, and easy to clean, and also reduces the leaching of aluminum from cookware into foods.
Copper
Copper is used for cookware because of its ability to conduct heat well, which makes it easier to control cooking temperatures. While small amounts of copper are good for daily health, larger amounts over a short period can be toxic.
To avoid these harmful effects, copper and brass pans are coated with another metal that prevents the copper from coming into contact with food, but this protective layer can come off if the pan is scrubbed too vigorously.
Stainless steel
Stainless steel is the most popular cookware because it is long-lasting, durable, and inexpensive. It is made up of a mixture of metals, including iron, nickel, and chromium.
Most North Americans are more likely to lack iron than to have too much. Iron cookware accounts for less than 20 per cent of daily iron intake, well within safe levels. Nickel is not toxic in small quantities but can provoke an allergic reaction in people who are allergic to nickel. Even for cooking acidic foods, the amount of nickel in stainless steel cookware will not add significant amounts to an individual’s diet.
Small doses of chromium are not a cause for concern; one meal prepared with stainless steel cookware can provide up to 45 micrograms of chromium, well within safe limits.
Ceramic, enamel, and glass
Pottery, glass or enamel cookware is easy to clean and can be heated to high temperatures and are often glazed to resist wear and corrosion. The only health concern comes from the components used to make, glaze, or decorate these items. This includes lead, cadmium, or pigments, but glazed ceramics and glassware are regulated in Canada to prevent cookware with harmful amounts of these components from being sold.
Plastic and non-stick coating
Plastic containers are very useful for storing food, and its most popular use is in microwave dishes, where metal is unsafe. Microwaving food with plastic wrap over it can cause health problems as the food may absorb some of the materials in the wrap that make it flexible. This can mostly happen with fatty or oily foods such as meat or cheese.
Non-stick coatings are applied to metal utensils to protect the cookware surface and prevent food from sticking. However, studies have found that one of the components of this non-stick coating is a likely carcinogen. Nonstick coatings are hazardous if they are heated to temperatures higher than 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 650degrees Fahrenheit as they can give off irritating or poisonous fumes.
Silicone
Silicone is a synthetic rubber that has become popular in recent years because it is colourful, non-stick, stain-resistant, durable, cools quickly, and can tolerate extremes of temperature. It does not react with food, and there are no known health hazards associated with silicone cookware.