Aluminium foil in the Varoma - Alzheimer's Disease

[missgrunge]

As I was folding up some little alfoil boats to put salmon fillets in to steam in the Varoma the other day, I was reminded of all that we now know about contributions to the causes of Alzheimer's disease.

We threw away all our aluminium saucepans back in the '80s, but here we are, cooking in 100oC+ steam in aluminium foil.    So I carefully lined each boat with an equivalent-sized piece of baking paper and then put my fish fillets in, before placing them in the Varoma.  Worked perfectly, and gave me a little peace of mind.

FWIW
Miss G

[tarosuma]

Hi
I am very wary of foil too, for the same reasons as you.  I am also wary of non-stick bakeware and I replaced all of my cookware with stainless steel.  I would love to be able to afford cast iron which is apparently the safest but it is expensive and limiting.
I am a bit wary of baking paper too because I don't actually know what it is made out of!  Doesn't leave much left!  I have resorted to normal sandwich wrap and grease with a healthy oil quite often but this doesn't work for everything.

[missgrunge]

Hi Tarosuma,
When you say 'sandwich wrap' do you mean plastic wrap like Glad Wrap?  I understand there is a bit of concern about using super-heated plastic wrap with food because of the transfer of little nasties from the plastic to the food.  Google it and see what I mean.
Best,
Miss G.

[zebraa]

tarosuma - try Kmart and Aldi for when they have their cast iron cookware available - even coles has some atm. Cheap and fine quality for everyday use.

[andiesenji]

The aluminum = Alzheimer's theory has been pretty much debunked
explained here

And one really important study was done at Northwestern Univ. where they studied a significant number of retired plant employees of the West Bend aluminum company.  These workers were exposed to the most easily absorbed aluminum compounds - from molten aluminum in the foundry, aluminum dust in the cutting and polishing plant and in the laboratory where they worked, mostly without protective gear in the years prior to 1986 when the OSHA rules for work in those areas changed.

The incidence of Alzheimer's disease in these workers was about the same as in the general population and never found in workers whose families had no history of Alzheimer's, even when the exposure had been been for decades. 

There are other reasons for avoiding some products that contain aluminum salts but certainly aluminum foil is perfectly safe to use in all types of cooking. 
Unless you use a blowtorch on it, you are not going to get it to a temperature where it throws off gases.

[tarosuma]

When you say 'sandwich wrap' do you mean plastic wrap like Glad Wrap?  I understand there is a bit of concern about using super-heated plastic wrap with food because of the transfer of little nasties from the plastic to the food.  Google it and see what I mean.

Sorry, should have used a better word than that - no I don't mean the gladwrap style plastic, I mean just the normal, plain old white paper my Mum used to wrap my lunch in years ago.  It isn't coated in anything, just thin, white paper on a roll.

[tarosuma]

tarosuma - try Kmart and Aldi for when they have their cast iron cookware available - even coles has some atm. Cheap and fine quality for everyday use.

Thanks for that tip!  I don't have a Kmart or Aldi anywhere near me but might get my family to keep a look out for me.

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

When you say 'sandwich wrap' do you mean plastic wrap like Glad Wrap?  I understand there is a bit of concern about using super-heated plastic wrap with food because of the transfer of little nasties from the plastic to the food.  Google it and see what I mean.

Sorry, should have used a better word than that - no I don't mean the gladwrap style plastic, I mean just the normal, plain old white paper my Mum used to wrap my lunch in years ago.  It isn't coated in anything, just thin, white paper on a roll.

Greaseproof paper?? 

[judydawn]

That's what I was thinking Chelsea, it's what Mum used in the 'old days' 

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

I must be old fashioned - I still use it now.  I use it to line the bottom of greased cake tins and to seperate layers of slices and special biscuits in my containers. It is much cheaper than baking paper and works well for some things.

[tarosuma]

Greaseproof paper?? 
[/quote]


Aahhhh....... that's it!  I couldn't for the life of me remember what it is called!  Thanks!