Estimation of Aluminum (Al) Leaching from Aluminum Utensils in Libyan Food

Abstract

Cooking in aluminum utensils often causes relatively small increases in Aluminum (Al) content of food. In Libya, data on Al concentration in food items are scarce, although aluminum vessels are widely used to cook foods, and it is known that Al can migrate from cooking utensils to food. This study was carried out to evaluate the leaching content of Al from new and used (old) aluminum cookware to four common Libyan food groups (vegetables, beans, cereals and meats). We evaluated the concentration of Al in a total of 45 samples of different food items that are widely consumed in Libyan diet. Al was determined using Agilent’s 240 AA Atomic Absorption Spectrometer integrated GTA 120 Graphite Tube. The Al concentration in foods was reported in terms of ppm dry weight of the foods. The concentration of Al in leafy vegetables, pulses, potatoes, cereals meats, cooked in new aluminum cookware were 12.78, 10, 1.9, 0.9 and 0.85 ppm. Al concentration in the used cookware was 11, 5.34, 1.51, 0.68 and 0.19 ppm, while these values of Al levels for foods cooked in stainless steel cookware were 8.05, 3.11, 1.14, 0.37 and 0.16 ppm of food tested samples respectively. The Al content of foods cooked in new Al was higher than that cooked in old Al or stainless steel vessels. More attention should be paid to Al concentration in foods in order to minimize dietary intake and to protect our health.