❋ Detoxcellence

Aluminum Foil (Cooking)

Wrapping or cooking hot, acidic food in foil.

61Low burden · out of 100
Cleaner swapParchment paper, or cook in a glass or ceramic dish

How this score is built

  1. 100Start
  2. 86.2Chemical hazard 3 × 4.6−13.8
  3. 69.2Everyday exposure 5 × 3.4−17
  4. 61Persistence 3 × 2.6−7.8, then rounded to 61
  5. LowThe band61 sits in 60–79.

What each input rests on

The three ratings behind the score, and the studies each rests on
InputRatingEvidence
Chemical hazard3/10unsourced input
Everyday exposure5/10

  • Baking meats wrapped in aluminium foil raised their aluminium content by 89-378% in red meats and 76-215% in poultry, most at 250 °C; against the FAO/WHO provisional tolerable intake the authors found no evident risk, while noting it adds to other aluminium sources.

    Aluminium contents in baked meats wrapped in aluminium foil · Meat Sci 2006

    DOI 10.1016/j.meatsci.2006.03.031 · PMID 22063217 · Abstract · read 2026-10-26

Persistence3/10unsourced input

Ratings are editorial. A study listed here supports the rating; it did not compute it. How the index is built

What this means for you

Small amounts of aluminum migrate into food, more so with heat and acidic ingredients like tomato or lemon. Everyday amounts are generally considered low-risk, but you can avoid the transfer entirely with an inert surface.

Evidence strength: moderate

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