Worry about tin foil

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kenny1999

Senior Cook
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Jan 18, 2012
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i don't know if i am too careful or hypertensive.

yesterday when i finish preparing my spaghetti and wrap it with tin foil. Before putting the dish into the oven, i use a knife to cut some of the wrapped tin foil to let water vapour go out so that the spaghetti would not be too watery. However, after i cut the foil, the edge of the foil doesn't look very sharp, but quite rough. At that moment to now on, i worry if any small insignifiant part of the tin would escape into my spaghetti and being eaten. Should i do this "cut" next time.?

Thanks!
 
kenny, i understand your worry.

first, tin foil is actually made from aluminium, also known as aluminum.

there are a lot of theories and warnings about the safety of ingesting aluminum.

i would suggest you research (google) problems with ingesting or cooking with aluminum/aluminium.
 
kenny, i understand your worry.

first, tin foil is actually made from aluminium, also known as aluminum.

there are a lot of theories and warnings about the safety of ingesting aluminum.

i would suggest you research (google) problems with ingesting or cooking with aluminum/aluminium.

so will it cause a big health problem of ingesting or cooking with aluminium
 
There was a lot of talk on the internet years ago about aluminum causing Alzheimers. That 'theory' has been debunked. Except on some internet sites that don't use science, the same sites that quote the 'study' that claimed that vaccinations cause autism.

You can find backup for any wack-job theory you want--so, research carefully, go to sites like the Mayo Clinic or university web sites for information that actually has science behind it.
 
Kenny,

My take on your question is that you put the spaghetti into a dish and covered it with aluminum, then cut slits in the covering to let steam escape. Is that right?

If so, the very small amount of aluminum that may be in the dish is not going to do any harm. You should be able to just fish it out of there.
 
I've never seen foil in food as a result of poking vent holes in a foil covered dish with a knife. The foil simply separates. From what you said in your post, this didnt happen but you are concerned it might. I think you can relax and not worry about it.

As others have said, if it's enough to be visible, you can pick it out, if it's so small you can't see it, it's not an issue.
 
I wouldn't be concerned either, but you can do what I do when I cover my tomato-based dishes with foil. First place a layer (barrier, if you will) of parchment paper between the food and the foil. If you want to cut a vent slit into the foil, the parchment can also be easily slit, too.
 
Hadn't ever looked into how aluminum foil is made. Quite an array of problems that had to be solved, including the use of a positron emitter and sensor to continuously measure the thickness and adjust the rollers. And why there'a a shiny side and a matte side. (Can't roll thin enough to do the final thickness, so it goes through in two sheets.)

I also didn't know that, due to small holes created in manufacturing, aluminum foil has to be more than 1 mil (1/1000 inch) thick before it's impermeable to air and water vapor. Common Reynolds Wrap is barely more than 0.5 mil, and the heavy duty is just under 1 mil, and extra heavy duty is about 1.3 mil and the clear choice for freezing.

And a new use to me, polishing steel with wet aluminum foil.

(I already knew about using it to make a hat to keep the aliens out of your brain.)

(I don't wear one. I figure if the aliens are foolish enough to look inside mine, it's their own dang fault if they're psychologically scarred for life.)
 
I wouldn't be concerned either, but you can do what I do when I cover my tomato-based dishes with foil. First place a layer (barrier, if you will) of parchment paper between the food and the foil. If you want to cut a vent slit into the foil, the parchment can also be easily slit, too.
I left instructions for cooking the cabbage roll meatloaf yesterday that included covering the meatloaf with foil...the DH left out that step. Next time, I'll include parchment paper. He is in the camp of "don't use foil" because it is aluminum is bad for you...no matter how many times I share information, he's convinced his grandma's Alzheimer's was because she cooked in alum. pans. And, he has an advanced degree in materials. But this myth is one that I have not been able to debunk. I guess his emotions get in the way...
 
There was a lot of talk on the internet years ago about aluminum causing Alzheimers. That 'theory' has been debunked. Except on some internet sites that don't use science, the same sites that quote the 'study' that claimed that vaccinations cause autism.

You can find backup for any wack-job theory you want--so, research carefully, go to sites like the Mayo Clinic or university web sites for information that actually has science behind it.

This is a pretty good article on the Aluminum/Alzheimers theory:

Heavy Metal? |EMagazine.com
 
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