Aluminum foil, containers and cookware may contaminate dairy products
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By David Liu and editing by Aimee Keenan-Green
Could aluminum foil, containers and cookware used to process or store dairy products potentially pose a health risk?
The study showed 65 percent of the milk samples from the market contained aluminum (Al) at a level higher than the Provisional Acceptable Permission Limits while processed cheese wrapped in aluminum foil and 20 percent of milk powder samples had much higher levels according to a study published in the April 2011 issue of Journal of Food science.
The authors estimated the maximum dietary intake of aluminum from "bulk farm milk, control market milk, market milk boiled in Al cookware, market milk boiled in stainless-steel cookware, processed cheese wrapped in Al foil, processed cheese packed in glass containers, and milk powder were calculated as 3.0%, 61.0%, 63.0%, 61.0%, 428.0%, 220.0%, and 166.0%" of the PTDI or Provisional Tolerable Daily Intake, respectively.
The author said the study suggests "Al level in milk kept in Al containers and dairy products packed in Al foil is beyond the permissible limits, suggesting a health hazard."
Aluminum is a metal element that has no known physiological role in human bodies. Studies show aluminum can cause neurotoxicity and boost risk of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson’s disease and breast cancer among other things.
Aluminum is used in aluminum foil, food and beverage containers and storage containers, cookware and food equipment. Acidic foods may dissolve aluminum and cause leakage of the metal into food.
Aluminum salts are widely used in foods including some salt used in processed foods and food additives. Artificial food colorants called lakes contain high levels of aluminum.
Some beauty products like antiperspirants and deodorants may also contain aluminum.
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