Is Aluminum Bakeware Safe? The Truth Behind FDA Approval

[[email protected]]

Had a customer the other day who was concerned about our bakeware. I told her they were "Aluminized Steel" but she wasn't convinced that it was safe and decided not to buy it. Does anyone know the official status of this? I'm sure PC wouldn't be selling something that's dangerous, but where can I find info about this?

 

[ShelbyMichalek]

aluminum and alumized are NOT the same thing. I can't tell you the difference because I'm having a major brain fart right now but they're completely different.

 

[NooraK]

When in doubt, turn to Google, which will point you to Wikipedia:

Aluminized steel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[esavvymom]

All I see online is the same thing you said " Aluminized Steel". But I'd suggest emailing the Test Kitchen. If you go on CC, under the first tab (Managing your Business) then -->Home Office Contacts --> Email the Pampered Chef. From there, you can select the Test Kitchen for product info.Good luck. Post what you find out, so we can all learn.

 

[[email protected]]

Just did that very thing Bobbi. Thanks. Will let you know.

 

[babywings76]

I do know that the acid in tomato products does affect the pan.

 

[BlueMoon]

So...I looked at the wikipedia article, and if I were that customer, I'd say,"okay, it's steel that is coated with an 'aluminum-silicone alloy'--so aluminum is touching my food."If I were concerned about it, I would stick to the stoneware. They can't just use steel, cause it will rust. it has to be coated with something. I don't plan to try to convince those customers. I don't think they can use metal sheet pans and stuff. Most of it has got aluminum in it; except for cast iron, maybe.Gretchen, please do let us know. I'm very interested in how HO puts it.

 

[NooraK]

Yes, PC would never knowingly sell something that wasn't of the highest quality and absolutely safe to use. They have pulled products in the past that would have passed guidelinesset by government agencies, but did not meet PC standards.

The concern with aluminum in preparing food is that it is a reactive metal. Acidic ingredients like tomatoes, lemons etc. might cause aluminum to leach into the food, which is obviously not something we want.

That being said, don't freak out over our non-stick cookware. It is made with hard-anodized aluminum (Anodizing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia), which means it has gone through a process to change it's chemical make up. Because of this, and the non-stick coating covering the pan, there is no concern of a chemical reaction between acids and the pan which would cause leaching of the metal into anything you cook with the cookware.

 

[NooraK]

So...I looked at the wikipedia article, and if I were that customer, I'd say,"okay, it's steel that is coated with an 'aluminum-silicone alloy'--so aluminum is touching my food."

One of the key phrases in that is this:

producing a material with a unique combination of properties possessed neither by steel nor by aluminum alone

I would think the silicon in the alloy it is dipped into prevents the aluminum from reacting to the acidic foods in the same way as plain aluminum would.

But yes, TK will probably have the best wording.

 

[Zsu]

PC would never knowingly poison the customers. However PC does cover up with fda and other related organizations statements on the subject. They say that it is perfectly safe to cook on nonstick and aluminium, however some still does not take this info as unbiased relaible info. Same thing about microwaveing food, especially in plastic. I understand that there are those customers, i have many friends like that, and i am partially there too.

About a year ago i asked the test kithchens about the lead content of the stones. I remember when the instructions clearly stated that they were 100% lead free. Now you can only find that they are made of natural clay. When i asked about it more in details the test kitchen reply was that the lead levels were well below the required numbers. And when i pressured them about the subject even more they said to contact the fda. I finally ended up talking to someone, up higher at PC, then she stated that she cannot say that is 100% lead free because of liablility issues, however they have not changed the formula they using for the clay. If you look it up i even posted it here too. I was shocked of the brushing off style of the answers i got.

If i have a customer asking for more info i give them what i can get from PC then i let them decide if they are interested.

 

[[email protected]]

Well...here's what I got back from the Solution Center. Not very helpful.

"Thank you for contacting The Pampered Chef. I have not heard that about the bakeware. All of our products are preapproved thru the FDA to be same for our customers. You can always have your customers call our product development department that will give them piece of mind."

 

[Zsu]

I am sorry, but this is what I expected.
What you can do now is to print up the wikipedia info and the user manual (from CC) for that bakeware. Give it to the customer and ask her to make up her mind. You can say that you use it and perfectly happy with it, you have cusomers using it and they are happy with it, but for herself she has to decide if this info is enough or not. then you can reccommend the stoneware ( i still trust that, and love it, even my friends do to ).

Good luck

 

[LarissaRed123]

Yes, I totally agree with Zsuzsanna. PC is a great company who trusts the FDA to tell them if a product is safe or not. The problem is the FDA. BPA, anyone?