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| HI,
the main point: pigments (and maybe enamel itself) in the interior pot coating are partially made from metals. I looked at Le Creuset's stockpots.
Le Creuset or similar enameled products, is said to be "the world's safest", "an inert ,non-reactive".
But before I buy, I searched: is it metal-free or toxins free ?
Pigments: I assume, that the same pigments for glass are used for the enamel.
I sent a simple question to three leading companies: Le Creuset, Chantal, and Silit.
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Follow-Up Postings:
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| Assuming that your fears are all bourne out in the end.....what would there be left to cook in? |
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| I didn't understand the words "bourne out". what to cook in ? : magnetic fields ? :-) |
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| Assuming your fears turn out to be justified...what would be left to cook in? Your food must be contained in something utterly inert, apparently. FWIW....I've cooked for my mother much of the latter part of her life in iron, steel, aluminum, enamel-ware, various kinds of non-sticks, pot-metal, and glass. She's 95 and healthy as can be. Anecdotal, I know. I don't know the answer to your question. Just wondering about the degree of concern. |
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| The most inert cookware would be Corningware Visions as it's all glass, but it's all the most horrid cookware to cook with. I think the safest cookware would be one with a porcelain enamel interior like Le Creuset or Staub and the like. I don't think what the cookware contains is as important as what is actually getting into your food from it. There are a lot of other chemicals in your food, toiletries, and environment that you should be more concerned about that are getting into your body, than the miniscule amount of what's leaching from your cookware! |
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- Posted by athomein1914 (My Page) on Wed, Feb 14, 07 at 12:30
| What blondelle said. I do think cooking temperature and time spent "leaching" are other details I've read about in the past re materials. This is one of the reasons, for example, you wouldn't want to store food in the aluminum pan in which you may have prepared the food. Etc. I try to run an organic kitchen and choose "safer" products in other parts of the house as well. This gives my teen even more material for eye-rolling & witticism. (And when my parents visit, my mom says "that's okay, we'll make do....") But for a myriad of reasons, from health to ethics, considering the chemicals in our lives is important. I have little interest in the good health of folks born 100 years ago, though I am happy for them! My real interest is in the health of baby boomers & beyond, born into a life that began with a variety of artificial baby milks and moved into artificial substitutes and mega-meds of various experimental stages. No flames! I'm happy for modern advances in medicine and all the conveniencnes of life BUT I'm old enough to know that my generation took the brunt of this experimentation, and kids coming up today are born to parents with more choices and information. An informed choice is so important! I hope there will be a lot of research and learning with regard to the lifelong and geriatric effects of an early childhood laced with chemical tainting of our food sources and of the environment in which we live our lives. We always want something a little better for all our children. |
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| Probably cast iron would be the safest....even non coated. But there has been no indication that aluminum is unsafe. We know that leaded glass is not good for long term storage of acedic liquids. We know that certain glazes contain heavy metals that may leech out and we know that certain pottery contains unsafe minerals and if not properly glazed can, theoretically, be harmful. Ourgrandparents ( at least mine) heated with coal and fuel oil. Their furnaces were not as well vented as many are today. Kerosene lamps emitted fumes and smoke. Grandma canned greenbeans without a pressure canner and ate rabbits from the field, perhaps infected with tuleremia. I ate a raw egg in my morning eggnog the all fof my gradeschool years. I think worrying about what may leach out of an enamel coating which is well vitrified as you will know if you ever cook in one is a little like the old maid who was weeping because she suddenly thought what if I had gotten married to that nice young man who courted me....and what if we had had a baby and what if a brick had fallen out of the chimney and killed the baby in it's bed....Boo Hoo! The very real worries are the loss of the ozone layer, the pesticides wafting in the breeze, trans-fats, the custom of out kids drinking soda rather than milk...and for that matter hormones in the milk supply. What do you stir that pot with? a wooden spoon or a stainless one...or a silicone one? And don'e even think about the possibility of being injured and needing a plate and a few screws in your body and the hoses through they might deliver blood and other life saving fluids. We live in a world where there are benefits and risks, hopefully, balance each other... So while some of the additives in food may cause cancer....everyday they are discovering new treatments. It's a rough world out there... |
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| Thanks everybody. Linda C wrote: "The very real worries are the loss of the ozone layer, the pesticides wafting in the breeze, trans-fats, the custom of out kids drinking soda rather than milk...and for that matter hormones in the milk supply." :well, I'm getting to that also.. :-) |
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| All my mother ever had was aluminum, pitted and dented pots and pans. And one really great iron skillet. Supposedly things can grow in those pits and do really dire things to humans and the iron, well that'll just clog every bone in our body up. Well, I'm still here and relatively healthy, so the last thing I need to worry about is what I'm cooking in, which is stainless steel. Next week they'll probably come out with a study (who does those things anyway?) that will inform me I'm about to meet my Maker. |
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| "Next week they'll probably come out with a study..." Oh, you mean like today's study that now says it may be good afterall for pregnant women to eat fish!!! Gahhhh.... With every additional study I'm convinced that the studies are killing us. Has anyone done a study on that? ;-) |
Here is a link that might be useful: CNN: Fish good for pregnant women
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| OK, but that study didn't seem to correct for *any* other variables -- like the fact that since fish is pricey, the babies of fish-eating mothers probably had better prenatal care (because they could afford that, too), more verbal and intellectual stimulation at home, etc. Not sure what's more frustrating: the sense that these studies are perhaps conducted in a manner that's scientifically useless when it comes to translating data into real-life decisions, or the equally strong possibility that the media have NO idea how to report on science, and so most of what we read is incomplete and unhelpful. |
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| Enamel, a form of glass as you correctly indicated, is pretty tough stuff. Glass does not dissolve in hydrochloric, sulfuric, or nitric acids, nor in caustic (basic) solutions. The only thing that readily attacks glass is hydroflouric acid, a pretty uncommon compound to find in a kitchen. The metals in glass are not just floating around, they are bound up in the glass liquid itself. Radioactive wastes are frequently stored in glass-lined barrels, as the glass is virtually totally inert. Your fears are unfounded. PS don't forget your fork is made (probably) of stainless steel, which contains nickel and chromium. And oh, don't forget that glass does not season, because it is so non-porus, meaning you need a lot more fat to cook in enamel than with other cookware materials. |
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- Posted by danab_z9_la (My Page) on Sun, May 13, 07 at 13:19
| Yes modern day enameled cookware is completely toxic free.....and completely inert to the normal acids and bases encountered in everyday cooking. Strong caustics will slowly react with glass or enamel to form harmless hydrated sodium silicate (waterglass)........etching the glass/enamel in the process.....but this would never occur through normal usage. Some cleaning methods I have seen would etch enamel.....but that's a whole different topic. Your fear of toxic modern day cookware is not based on good science. Keep in mind that all life forms depend on trace metals in their diet. We normally get these from the foods that we eat......all foods contain trace metals. When we don't eat right, we should take a vitamin/mineral supplement to insure we have an adequate supply in our diet. Take at look at the analysis of a vitamin/mineral supplement and see some of the trace metals we all need. Even the water that we drink contains trace metals in the form of minerals......and that's a really good thing. What determines the toxicty of trace metals is the valence state of the metal in question; but, that too is a whole different topic. Dan |
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| Folks--Kindly keep in mind that no one leaves this world alive! |
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| Yes. Nothing is without toxins of some sort. Even the simple act of cooking a meal produces some toxic toll (the gas from your cooktop, or the electric field if not gas) . Pick your poison. The important thing is doing the best that you can for you and your family but never forgetting to enjoy your life in the process. We over analyze so much. |
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| If you've ever taken a dose of Rolaids or Maalox or similar antacids, you have already ingested more aluminum than a lifetime of cooking with aluminum cookware could possibly ever give you. (Maalox gets its name from its two main ingredients, Magnesium and Aluminum oxides). Oh, yes, also check out the label on some coffee creamers if you want some enlightening reading. Many of them have aluminum as well. The quality and quantity of what you put in that skillet (and your stomach) is much more important than what the skillet is made of. Having said that, I don't cook with aluminum much simply because it's more reactive than other materials. I prefer other stuff, but not out of alumina-phobia. |
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- Posted by danab_z9_la (My Page) on Mon, May 14, 07 at 22:41
| The only cookware that really concerns me for its potential toxicity is Pewter. I saw a pewter bean pot on ebay the other day up for auction. That scares me because many people do not know that some pewter-ware contains a significant amount of lead. Personally I would never use any pewter-ware for either holding beverages or in cooking. I have no qualms about using cast or rolled aluminum pans for the type cooking that I do and for the reasons Arley stated. Dan |
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- Posted by Concerned Parent(chrising44@yahoo.com) onFri, Mar 18, 11 at 4:39
| I've done some research. Enamel may have metals to change color, that may or may not leech into your food. Stainless Steel also has combined metals that may or may not leech toxins. Cast Iron may or may not leech toxins. What I have found is that products produced in other countries tend to be of a lesser quality, because there is no quality control. Look at re-calls of toys, because they contain lead paint. If you want to lessen your fears, check the label. If it doesn't say Made In USA, research the product. Even US products can be low quality. Research is the key!! |
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- Posted by Nancy S.(nstenn@yahoo.com) onThu, Mar 24, 11 at 0:16
| Cast iron is a very reactive metal. It is not considered safe for cooking acidic foods. Cooking, for example, tomato sauce in a cast iron pan will definitely release some iron. I had read years ago there is also at least a small amount of mercury used in creating cast iron. Now I can't find this info. online. Perhaps I read it in a book on canning? Nickel can be leached from stainless steel, and some physicians consider it to be very toxic. Glass cookware or certain types of porcelain and enamel ware are considered to be much more safe (non-reactive or "inert") The newer Staub and Le Creuset cookware (or most high-end European brands) are much more safe, and much less reactive. The State of California (it's just one state, I know) won't allow items containing lead to be sold in the state. It's possible some imports slip through, but you might try purchasing from an outfit in California, and have your item shipped to you. I'd done extensive prior research on this, and the newer enameled cookware is said to be non-reactive. 'Wish I could give you a better link than the browser search above, but it's a good place to start doing research, at least re: cast iron cookware. I LOVE my cast iron Dutch ovens, but am very wary of cooking acidic foods, or foods with extreme pH levels in them. I recently contacted a Customer Service rep. at Hamilton Beach. A senior person (quality control manager?) told me each and every Hamilton Beach slow cooker vessel is tested for lead and cadmium prior to going out for retail sale. I asked that question twice; I couldn't believe it at first! 'Thought I'd mention it, because I do a lot of slow cooking, and found that info. to be very reassuring. I don't think they'd have told me that if it weren't true, due to potential liability issues. 'Am still trying to find a non-reactive vessel for pickling. I'm told there's a company selling pickling crocks which imports them from Poland. I'm hoping to contact the company to find out if they warrant their vessels and crocks as "non-reactive." If you want more info., you might want to join a Weston A. Price forum online. That's a group committed to organic and grass-fed, pastured foods, more or less the way "primitive people" or traditional cultures ate their foods. The WAP'ers are a very health-conscious group, so if you really want to delve into this question, you might want to join one of the WAPF Yahoo groups, and check the archives for this information. A couple of links: "non reactive pickling crocks cookware" http://www.scroogle.org/cgi-bin/nbbw.cgi and Dr. Mercola's question & answer web page (Dr. M. is really big on subjects like this): http://v.mercola.com/QA/BlogsQA.aspx Cast iron reactive?http://www.scroogle.org/cgi-bin/nbbw.cgi A sante to you all! Nancy S. in Solano County, Calif. |
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- Posted by danab_z9_la (My Page) on Thu, Mar 24, 11 at 13:45
| I am a very experienced chemist and have personally dealt with hundreds of "REAL" toxins during my career......some that would kill a human with just one breath. It is silly to believe that modern day cookware somehow produces "toxins". Actually, it really is an utterly ridiculous fear mongering tactic often used by some shady sales people who just love SPAM. Dan |
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- Posted by hjertebraaten(cannotseeforlooking@gmail.com) onFri, Mar 25, 11 at 20:24
| Um... of course some release toxins. If it's enough to kill a pet bird, it's plenty for me to be concerned to purchase the least toxic. At least cast iron releases something I know I need. I just bought a cast iron pan that I just saw has enamel coating on the inside as well. What sense does that make? A nonporous surface over a porous one and they call it nonstick. Sheesh. |
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- Posted by danab_z9_la (My Page) on Sat, Mar 26, 11 at 3:03
| Baloney. What affects those birds WILL NOT AFFECT HUMANS. When many pan types are heated they can smoke. Smoke interferes with the sensitive respiratory system of some birds. Humans have a completely different respiratory system than birds. What affects birds does not automatically affect humans. Get a clue before falling for those silly "toxic" scare tactics. As I've stated earlier, modern cookware is perfectly safe to use and DOES NOT create toxins. Regarding enameled cast iron.....that stuff is absolutely wonderful for cooking and COMPLETELY SAFE to use. The enamel is added for greater ease in maintenance of the cast iron. Enameled cast iron does not need to be periodically "seasoned". Seasoning is a real pain in the buttox for some people. Enameling is in no way shape or form...toxic. It is a glass like product and is not a "paint like" material. And for your further education......place a bit of cooking oil in any "safe" cooking vessel of your choosing. Heat up that cooking oil until it reaches the smoke point......and watch those same pet birds get killed. You should learn from this simple experiment that the "cookware" is not what is killing those birds. In the scientific world that is what is known as testing a "control" sample......before one jumps to dumb conclusions. Dan |
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| The enamel is added for greater ease in maintenance of the cast iron. Enameled cast iron does not need to be periodically "seasoned". Seasoning is a real pain in the buttox for some people. Not to mention that the enamel allows for cooking acidic foods without worrying about any unwanted reaction. |
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- Posted by Gabby(gardengirl@gmail.com) onTue, Jun 14, 11 at 12:44
| What is wrong with you narcissistic people? Can't you just let a person ask a question without slamming her with your righteous opinions?! If you don't have an answer that satisfies her question than go post your hate in your own thread! |
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- Posted by danab_z9_la (My Page) on Tue, Jun 14, 11 at 22:39
| Thank you Gabby for that enlightening post. Dan |
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- Posted by David Martin(davidmartin7777@yahoo.com) onMon, Jul 11, 11 at 18:53
| Older relatives can have less problems with toxic metals than we would because they were never exposed to the heavy load of mercury and aluminum in vaccines which we are exposed to today by the medical community. When one toxic metal is already established in the Also, Boyd Haley, a previous head of the Chemistry dept. So a 95 year old mother, healthy as can be, fits the |
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- Posted by danab_z9_la (My Page) on Tue, Jul 12, 11 at 2:39
| So what exactly is your point?? Are you making a claim that there are toxic levels of Mercury in enamel ware?? -------------------------- Let's get "real" for a moment and try to stay away from FEAR MONGERING........ It is factual that there are many many millions of "HEALTHY" people walking around today with high concentrations of "mercury" in their tooth fillings. Did you know that those fillings contain about 50% by weight of Mercury? Not tee tiny trace parts per million (ppm) levels....but a very high 50 percent mercury level. And oh my oh my, and those poor people (victimized by the system eh?) drink and eat acidic foods!!! Oh my goodness....they all must surely be dying from mercury poisoning right??? After all, all chemical engineers KNOW that acid dissolves metals. Right?? And there is much more mercury in ONE tooth filling than there is in ONE ton of pot material. "IF" those high mercury containing tooth fillings were so toxic and bad, wouldn't our SAVIOR government protect those victims by MANDATING the removal of ALL OF THOSE MERCURY ALMAGAMS from people's teeth? Wouldn't the government move to ban it just like they banned the addition of toxic lead (tetra ethyl lead) in gasoline??????? Similarly if ANY COOKWARE WHATSOVER produced ANY TOXIC materials they would likewise ban it and issue recalls. Wouldn't they??? They have done so on numerous occasions in order to protect the public health. Why would they treat "COOKWARE" any different?? And please don't tell EPA about that mercury in those tooth fillings. Lord knows they would want to bury those poor souls in one of their toxic waste sites!! And they would have an army of Hazmat teams at the funeral. They driving up the cost of a burial one thousand fold by MANDATING those poor souls be buried in specially lined (and EPA approved) coffins in one of EPA's Toxic Waste sites. And, in order to pay for all of these added costs associated with the removal and disposal of tooth mercury from planet earth......they would put a one dollar tax on every tube of toothpaste that is sold in this country. And to insure everyone has access to free dental care, they would add another 50 cents tax to every bottle of mouthwash and container of dental floss. Like I said, LET'S GET REAL FOLKS and outside of that weird world of the Cookware Fear Mongers. Enough is enough. THERE ARE NO HARMFUL AMOUNTS OF "ANY" TOXIC METAL in modern day cookware for Pete's sake. Repeat after me.....none, zero, zip, Nada!! Modern day cookware is PERFECTLY SAFE TO USE. It is perfectly safe to use in the cooking of food. It is OK to love your cookware because it WILL NOT KILL OR POISON YOU!! And the baking soda test that Saladmaster sales reps. use to sell their ware is absolute baloney. And yes indeed, you sure can wash cast iron with soapy water. And if aluminum caused Alzheimer's, beer and soft drinks would not be sold (worldwide mind you) in Aluminum cans. And no, the moon is not made of cream cheese. Indeed there are some things in life that are harmful to your health. For VERY REAL HEALTH THREATING REASONS.....people need to be more concerned over "what foods" they choose to put in their pots and pan, rather than worry about what were the "materials of construction" used to manufacture their cookware. It is absolutely silly ( and bordering on ridiculous) for people to be concerned over any toxins in modern day cookware. But, I am just a retired chemist. What the heck do I know about materials of construction and chemical toxicity?? Right??? Dan |
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| I surely do not see a problem with someone being concerned about what is or isn't being put in cookware that he/she is considering for purchase. I just don't understand the nastiness. I don't think anyone not directly involved with the manufacturing process and testing can also state that there are no toxins involved. You have no absolute way of knowing. Lots of things go on these days. To think that there is never any corruption in the food industry is absurd. The choice as to whether to drink a beverage out of an aluminum can is up to the individual. But don't think for a minute that a large manufacturer has our best interests in mind. They don't. They care about how much money they make. By the way, to make a blanket statement that what harms birds won't harm humans is not true. Try giving a bird cyanide and then eat it yourself. I suspect the results will be the same. I expect there will be some nasty comments aimed at me, as well now. I don't care. |
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| Just don't cook in Aluminum and don't use Teflon, rest is fine. Cast iron and mineral steel only add needed minerals to your food, I don't think enameled cast iron does anything. |
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| I cook in aluminum. Non hard anodized aluminum, even. It discolors. It pits. But it provides the even heat of cast iron without the weight and need to keep it seasoned. It heats faster, too. It is my favorite cookware, Magnalite. It isn't that thin stuff sold for $35 for a complete set of junk cookware; this is thick cast aluminum. Love it. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Magnalite website
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- Posted by cooksnsews (My Page) on Tue, Nov 13, 12 at 18:09
| I'm not aware of any health issues relating to the use of aluminum cookware. There is no proven nor anecdotal linkage to Alzheimer's Disease, although there are probably lots of scare sites on the internet. Aluminum is a great heat conductor and is often used in the cladding of stainless steel cookware. Many restaurants use plain-jane aluminum skillets because they are cheap and effective. My problem with aluminum is that it warps when used over high heat. I have used pots in cooking school whose bases resembled contour maps of the Rockies. The are also prone to pitting and discolouring, especially when acidic foods are left in them too long. I don't operate a commercial kitchen, and I prefer longer lasting products in my home. That is why I use vintage cast iron and carbon steel. |
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| The studies are not conclusive that Aluminum plays a role in Alzheimer's which means it may or may not. I would prefer to stay on the safe side personally, especially since I do not like Aluminum cookware anyway as it is reactive. |
Here is a link that might be useful: WebMD on Aluminum
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