Aluminum has many practical properties, which is why it accompanies us daily in all areas of life. For a long time, no one thought about the harmful effects of aluminum, and even today, studies on this topic are still very incomplete. Experts are particularly concerned about the combination of food and aluminum. Although the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) has set the TWI (tolerable weekly intake) per kg of body weight at one milligram as the limit value, which quantifies the weekly intake of aluminum, even someone who only uses aluminum trays for grilling once a week quickly takes in higher amounts of aluminum through other means. The reason for this is the versatile use and accordingly wide distribution of aluminum. This is less about ladders or car parts made of aluminum, which benefit from the low weight and high stability, but rather the use of aluminum in deodorants, creams, toothpaste, body lotions, medications, and food packaging. In addition, there is particulate matter pollution in the air, which is also enriched with aluminum particles, causing plants to absorb aluminum, which is then consumed, as well as aluminum contamination in drinking water. Therefore, it is important to reduce aluminum intake, which is why aluminum-containing deodorants, for example, are slowly disappearing from the market. For the sake of health, aluminum trays should also not be used for grilling, even though they are very practical on the grill.
Why is aluminum actually harmful?
As mentioned earlier, studies on the health effects of increased aluminum intake are still very incomplete. Aluminum has come under suspicion because, for example, elevated aluminum concentrations have been detected in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. There is also a controversial discussion about the relationship between breast cancer and aluminum, with long-term studies not yet yielding sufficient results. We from the Grill Expert Team believe it’s better to be cautious than to regret later. The problem with aluminum is the amount that is already taken up by the body in principle. No one knows yet how much aluminum actually enters the body and remains there because it is sometimes also excreted through the intestines and bladder. To be on the safe side, you should not use aluminum trays for grilling.
Why is aluminum so popular?
In addition to its use as a lightweight but stable material, aluminum is also found in the kitchen. Many packages contain aluminum because it can be easily processed and contains no iron components, so it cannot rust. As aluminum foil, it is very practical to shape. Wrapping food in it to keep it fresh is a widespread habit. With skillful wrapping, it can be almost hermetically sealed. Aluminum also finds its way onto the grill time and again. It withstands heat well, and marinades can be prevented from dripping into the embers in aluminum trays. Since grill food or marinades in the embers produce harmful substances, it is believed that using aluminum trays contributes to health. It is now difficult to judge which is more harmful to health. However, there are well-founded studies on the development of harmful substances in the embers, so, tentatively and only for now, the use of aluminum trays for grilling appears to be the lesser evil. But there are also alternatives that are considered completely harmless.
Alternatives to aluminum trays for grilling
Aluminum trays or foil are frequently used for grill food that falls apart immediately or during cooking. The best examples of this are vegetables or fish. But stainless steel or cast iron grill trays, such as a cast iron grill pan, are just as good. Of course, the price is significantly higher than for disposable aluminum trays. But these alternatives can be reused after cleaning and have other advantages, such as heat retention. When used correctly and treated appropriately, these alternatives are not expected to have any harmful health effects.
For fish, fish grilling baskets are also highly recommended. Here, the fish is held together by two grids. Especially turning the fish on the grill is very easy, without the fish falling apart.
Potatoes wrapped in aluminum foil are also very popular, which are then placed on the grill or in the fire. However, they can also be placed directly on the heat of the flames without aluminum foil. The outer layer is burned (do not eat) and this protects the interior from too much heat. This way, they cook just as well as with aluminum foil.
We also had good experiences with pizza stones. They absorb excess liquid and are characterized by high heat storage capacity.
For small vegetables or shrimp, there are special stainless steel baskets with a fine mesh grid. Here too, as with aluminum trays, small grill food is prevented from falling through the grill grate.
Smoking planks can also be used instead of aluminum trays for grilling. They even have the advantage of enriching the grill food with special flavors. It is important to soak the smoking planks well before placing them on the grill. Otherwise, they would quickly catch fire.
You can also learn something from the natives of some countries. They use large leaves to cook their food. They protect against direct heat and keep the grill food together when wrapped in leaves. Banana leaves are very suitable for this, although they are not easy to obtain. However, sturdy cabbage leaves are just as suitable and also give additional flavor to the grill food.
We don’t want to forget grill plates in our list. They are made of stainless steel and cast iron. They often have different structures, for example, so that fat and juice can drain off. Sometimes they even leave the popular branding on the meat.
Conclusion:
The debate about whether aluminum trays for grilling are really hazardous to health will probably continue for a long time. It is likely that, as often is the case, small amounts pose no problem. In the situation where aluminum encounters us daily everywhere and also enters the body, it should be avoided wherever possible. This is often more cumbersome than simply using the popular aluminum trays for grilling and not infrequently also more expensive. But grilling should not only be fun but also preserve health. We recommend using aluminum trays for grilling only exceptionally when it is otherwise unavoidable that fat or juice drips into the embers, thereby producing many demonstrably health-hazardous substances.