Hard-anodized cookware may be a health danger
Anodizing is a term for a process used to make cookware. It creates a thick, scratch resistant surface. The product is typically sold under the term, hard-anodized aluminum cookware by various brand names. The cookware is so popular renowned chef, Emeril Lagasse has partnered with cookware manufacturer All-Clad to produce a line of this cookware. However, there are health safety concerns with using anodized aluminum.
History
In 1968 Calphalon began using an electro-chemical process to treat aluminum. It was termed hard-anodizing. In 1998 Newell Rubbermaid bought the Calphalon Corporation.
Function
Anodizing is said to "lock" the base metal. Although other metals can be anodized, aluminum is used for making pots and pans. The aluminum is placed in a bath of electrolytes. An electrical current is then ran through the bath. During this process, a thick layer forms on the aluminum, creating a protective coat over the metal.
The result is a hard, rather thick, stick-resistant pan that is also resistant to both corrosion and rust. The process of anodizing doesn't appear to raise health issues. The two concerns are leaching of aluminum and a coating sometimes used to coat the cookware that is similar to Teflon.
Potential Aluminum Dangers
The metal aluminum is found naturally in water, air and the soil. It is also added to many products such as antacids, toothpaste and most beer and soda cans are made from aluminum. A person consumes 3 to 10 milligrams per day.
Too much can cause toxicity. Conditions like rickets, colic, anemia, bone deterioration, memory loss and diminished kidney and liver function. Alzheimer's has been linked to aluminum over-exposure. The concern is, does anodized aluminum leach aluminum into food consumed by people? The Brandy Wine Science Center Inc. performed tests for leaching on various types of cookware including hard-anodized aluminum. The study tested for metals like iron, nickel, copper and aluminum. The final results showed that hard-anodized aluminum does leach 7.10 milligrams per liter of liquid used in the test.
Teflon Connection
The "use and care tips and instructions" for a brand of hard-anodized aluminum cookware explain that Quantanium is used as a coating and is like Teflon. The instructions state that this coating will wear out over time, which means consumers will ingest some of this material.
The concerns with Teflon and therefore Quantanium are serious. The DuPont company created Teflon in 1938. Originally, intended as a refrigerant. The material is slippery yet resistant to both temperature and chemicals as well as fungus and mold. The chemical in Teflon is Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA), sometimes referred to as Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The fumes from this chemical are considered dangerous. The Optimum Health Report states that, "Teflon is so prevalent that PF0A has been found to contaminate 92% of U.S. children tested to date, and most of the adult population as well."
One brand, Cuisinart, and potentially most brands of hard-anodized aluminum are coated with Quantanium which is a form of Teflon's PTFE and would therefore have the same health concerns as Teflon.
Considerations
Hard-anodized cookware is very popular for a reason. It is easy to cook with, has even heating and food doesn't stick to the surface. To reduce the risk of health issues, search for hard-anodized cookware that does not coat the surface with additional anti-stick chemicals. Also, cook at the lowest heat possible to reduce leaching into food.
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