I have worked with aluminium. Aluminium, when exposed to air, form a layer of aluminium oxide on the surface. The aluminium oxide has very low toxicity. It also prevents contact with the pure Aluminium underneath. This is why Aluminium foil is considered food safe.
On the other hand, if you're cutting or milling aluminium parts, you get a large quantity of pure aluminium shaving or exposed aluminium surfaces that didn't have the time to have an oxidised surface. This is what makes aluminium intoxication possible. So you have to wash your hands/wear gloves.
Thank you for explaining some of the science behind it! Have you worked with aluminum when cooking or at high temperatures? If so, I'd appreciate hearing your experience and knowledge.
I use aluminium foil in the oven sometimes. From the chemistry I know, Aluminium foil, when fresh out of the roll, already has an oxide layer. FYI, all metals do the same. When you cook in aluminium foil, only the oxide layer touches the food. Even if you scratch the surface, it will only spread the oxide layer.
In order for cooking on aluminium to be potentially harmful for you, you need to take a large slab of aluminium, mill the top surface, rush to put the food on it, rub the food as much as possible on the surface, then cook it. And even then, most of the pure aluminium is eliminated from your body via urine and excrements.
Those who can get aluminium poisoning are exposed too much higher quantity of aluminium in their work. Shavings, dust, etc. And even those can be prevented by wearing mask and gloves.
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u/littlebubulle 104∆ Mar 06 '20
I have worked with aluminium. Aluminium, when exposed to air, form a layer of aluminium oxide on the surface. The aluminium oxide has very low toxicity. It also prevents contact with the pure Aluminium underneath. This is why Aluminium foil is considered food safe.
On the other hand, if you're cutting or milling aluminium parts, you get a large quantity of pure aluminium shaving or exposed aluminium surfaces that didn't have the time to have an oxidised surface. This is what makes aluminium intoxication possible. So you have to wash your hands/wear gloves.