Q. I have read that aluminum exposure might contribute to Alzheimer’s disease. This alarmed me, as I routinely wrap food in aluminum foil to reheat it. I also cover with foil when I bake and wrap raw chicken, pork and fish in individual packets for the freezer. I also “tent” a turkey while roasting it. Is any of this a problem?
A. There is not much information about aluminum leaching into foods. What there is suggests that acidic foods such as tomato sauce, lemon juice or vinegar could corrode aluminum (Food and Chemical Toxicology, March, 2009). These researchers found that boiling the foil for at least 10 minutes in water decreased the problem. The foods you describe are not particularly acidic, so you may not need to worry about this issue. But if you were wrapping cooked food with tomato sauce, you might want to take the precaution of boiling the foil first.
Here is a link to more information about aluminum cookware.
We worry more about applying aluminum to delicate skin, as is the case with antiperspirants. Here is link to a video to explain our concerns in more detail.
