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Is Aluminum cookware safe?

 
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BC
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2005 8:11 pm    Post subject: Is Aluminum cookware safe? Reply with quote

I read the following at http://www.happycookingco.com/articles.htm

I don't believe everything I read on the Internet but, thought I would toss this out for comments.



START

Warning – REPORT OF FINDINGS OF DR. H.A.MCGUIGAN FOR THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION IN DOCKET CASE NO. 540, WASHINGTON, D.C.

· Boiling water in aluminum produces hydroxide poison.
· Boiling an egg in aluminum produces phosphate.
· Boiling meat in aluminum produces chloride.
· Frying bacon in aluminum produces a powerful narcotic acid, which in large doses causes comas, or in excessive doses causes death.
· All vegetables cooked in aluminum produce hydroxide poison, which neutralizes the digestive juices, robbing them of their value to digest food, producing stomach and gastrointestinal trouble, such as stomach ulcers, and colitis.
· Aluminum poison will produce acidosis, which destroys the red cells producing a condition similar to anemia.
· The sale of aluminum cooking utensils is prohibited in Germany, France, Belgium, Great Britain, Switzerland, Hungary and Brazil.

This Committee did not originate the above statements. They could be substantiated if there were any way of getting at information in a report classed as “confidential” by the F.T.C. No one has any means of knowing just what the Commission “has found” relative to the safety or harmful effects of aluminum utensils.

Dr. Charles T. Betts, of Toledo, Ohio (now deceased), who made an intensive study of this subject, issued in 1954 a pamphlet entitled “How Does this Government Suppress the Truth About Aluminum?” This is now out of print. Below are a few excerpts there from:

In 1920, a Federal agency was given the task to determine if or not the ingestion of aluminum compounds causes illness, sickness, disease (cancer) or death.

The first serial was published July 1st, 1948, of Edward M.Averill’s report, Docket 540, Federal Trade Commission. On August 20th, I received the second notice from the F.T.C. Secretary, O.B. Johnson, that it is still a confidential document – 25 years after it was rendered – even though public funds, possibly $7,500.00 were used to secure the facts.
It seems impossible that a Federal authority would put such information in a closed file and still worse that they use every means at their command to prevent us from seeing it.

Edward M. Averill was appointed to open the case in 1920. it took over five years , 158 witnesses were called, 1000 exhibits examined, and 4711 closely typewritten pages of testimony taken. More than a quarter of a century has passed since his report was rendered, and so far as we know not one word has reached a single citizen for his health protection.
Dr. Betts got hold of a copy of Averill’s “purported official report” and decided to publish it. The F.T.C. got wind of this, and informed Dr. Betts: “Be advised Commission regards report as confidential documentation and its publication in whole or in part is highly improper …

I have affixed the seal of the Federal Trade Commission to the letter, and this seal, according to the statute, shall be judicially noticed.”
(Signed: Otis B. Johnson, Sec’y)

END
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mike818



Joined: 17 Sep 2005
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 17, 2005 7:31 am    Post subject: interesting.. Reply with quote

Where did you find this? A reputable source?

If this were true, it would have been major news.. since every commercial kitchen I have known used aluminum pans for almost everythig.
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jagstyle



Joined: 08 Aug 2005
Posts: 45
Location: CA

PostPosted: Sat Sep 17, 2005 7:48 am    Post subject: Re: interesting.. Reply with quote

mike818 wrote:
If this were true, it would have been major news.. since every commercial kitchen I have known used aluminum pans for almost everythig.


maybe that's why it has not made major news...
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 6:15 pm    Post subject: Re: Is Aluminum cookware safe? Reply with quote

BC wrote:

...
I don't believe everything I read on the Internet but, thought I would toss this out for comments.

Warning – REPORT OF FINDINGS OF DR. H.A.MCGUIGAN FOR THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION IN DOCKET CASE NO. 540, WASHINGTON, D.C.

· Boiling water in aluminum produces hydroxide poison.
· Boiling an egg in aluminum produces phosphate.
· Boiling meat in aluminum produces chloride.
· Frying bacon in aluminum produces a powerful narcotic acid, which in large doses causes comas, or in excessive doses causes death.
· All vegetables cooked in aluminum produce hydroxide poison, which neutralizes the digestive juices, robbing them of their value to digest food, producing stomach and gastrointestinal trouble, such as stomach ulcers, and colitis.
· Aluminum poison will produce acidosis, which destroys the red cells producing a condition similar to anemia.
· The sale of aluminum cooking utensils is prohibited in Germany, France, Belgium, Great Britain, Switzerland, Hungary and Brazil.
...


This has all the hallmarks of an internet myth. The use of chemically meaningless terms such as "hydroxide poison", "phosphate", "chloride" and "narcotic acid", the hints at conspiracy and government coverups, the extreme and sensational wording used to describe the health effects, all point to myth status. (Chemicals are called "iron phosphate" for example. In a solution, you might refer to "phosphate ions" or "phosphate radicals.")

One of my favorite myth-busting websites discusses an old myth that Rudolph Valentino was killed somehow by aluminum cookware, a common myth in the 20's. (Most urban myths now floating around are are really resurrected old myths.)

http://www.snopes.com/movies/actors/valentin.htm

Snopes has become my favorite place to check when I come across some crazy health rumour on the Internet.

Here is an article about crazy health rumors on the web generally.

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/31/story_3193_1.html

The idea that aluminum causes Alzheimer's is one of the myths discussed.


Now it is possible that aluminum (or iron or water or bananas) does indeed contribute to some other health problem in some unknown way, but if so, it isn't common, and when it does, the effect isn't large or even significant. Regarding health effects, you should worry more about air pollution. Regarding government coverups, you should worry more about our environmental policies.

Karl
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