You have probably noticed that I line my baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper instead of cooking directly on the surface or lining them with aluminum foil. And if I want to roast a head of garlic, I always wrap it first in unbleached parchment paper and then aluminum foil. Since I have been fielding a lot of questions about this practice recently from some newbies in my cooking classes, I thought I would shed some light on it here.
There is research that suggests that when aluminum is heated (which is what we do when we cook, naturally), some of it leaches into our food. The amount of aluminum that leaches increases with higher heat and acidity (e.g. wine, tomatoes, citrus.) Although I use rimmed untreated aluminum or nonstick baking sheets almost daily for roasting vegetables or baking cookies, I always line them with unbleached parchment paper to provide a buffer so that my food does not come into contact with either of those materials. I also never allow food to come into contact with aluminum foil when cooking. If you own anodized aluminum cookware, this has been treated and sealed so that the aluminum doesnโt react or leach when heated. This is ok. There is, however, untreated aluminum cookware in restaurant supply stores and hardware stores and you should definitely not use these.
I will readily admit that any link between aluminum consumption and Alzheimers is controversial. But aluminum is a known neurotoxin which means in excessive quantities, it disrupts the natural processes of a healthy brain and can lead to problems. Um, no thanks. We already consume aluminum whether we like it or not if we eat out or consume processed foods, drink municipal water, use vaccines or antiperspirants. Many (not all) over-the-counter medicines such as antiacids and buffered aspirin, also contain aluminum although . Read the product labels to know for sure. This post isnโt intended to cover all sources of aluminum, but rather focus on protecting ourselves from this heavy metal in the kitchen. So my point is that if I can control my exposure to aluminum at home in an easy way, I am going to do that.
I also want to specify using unbleached, and not bleached parchment paper. Bleached parchment paper when heated can/may/might leach dioxin, which you can read about here and why I advise you to avoid it. There are several brands of unbleached parchment paper which are available at your local grocery store or on Amazon. I like Beyond Gourmet and If You Care unbleached parchment paper. I also love these unbleached parchment baking cups for lining your muffin tins. If you like to wrap a food in aluminum foil to roast in the oven or grill, simply wrap it in unbleached parchment first and then aluminum foil so it doesnโt burn like that head of garlic above.
Please be be warned that parchment paper is not the same thing as waxed paper which is not meant to be heated! Another option is to use silicone mats on your baking sheets which are washable/reusable and do not leach any harmful chemicals when heated. I sometimes use silicone mats for mild-tasting food (like cookies, not fish) or for an easy-to-clean food (like cookies, not balsamic-roasted cherry tomatoes.)
As always, feel free to shoot me your questions or add your knowledge to this subject!
COULD LEAD LEACH IN A GLASS BAKING DISH OR CERAMIC BAKING DISH IF I LINE IT WITH UNBLEACHED SILICONE COATED PARCHMENT PAPER?
HI
Is genuine vegetable silicone coated parchment paper safe or does it has to say unbleached
I think all parchment is silicone coated, but Iโm not sure. Is it white or light brown? I like to be cautious and not use bleached personally.
What are your thoughts about unbleached parchment paper that has been treated with a non-stick coating such as Quilon (there may be others, too)? It seems to me that that should be avoided, as well. Is it possible to get unbleached parchment paper that does NOT have a non-stick coating? Many thanks!
I buy one with a silicone coating. As far as I know, silicone is inert and does not leach.
Bleached or unbleached, it doesnโt matter. Parchment paper is one of those things we should also avoid if we want to do better for our health, and that of the planet. I gave up aluminum foil years ago and have never missed it. And I cook a lot.
I finally ditched parchment last year, not sure I could, but it ended up being very easy! Glass baking pans, oiled and floured or just oiled, work fabulously!
Silicone might be considered โsafeโ but thatโs just for now. 10, 20 years? We might all be advised to ditch it.
Plus, parchment paper is different than a silicone baking pan or mat. Those are โsolidโ silicone, whereas parchment is only coated with silicone. How do we KNOW for sure thatโs not coming off on our food? We donโt.
Better to be safe (and healthy) than sorry and sick. Go for glass! ๐
Fair enough!
Thanks Lynn for (re)Confirming many points..
I think we should all revert to how cooking was done 30-40 years ago.. use Just glass and steelโฆ no to paper and plastic
eco friendly and human friendly
Question for youโฆI would like to ditch aluminum foil also, but what do you use to cover the top of a lasagna during baking? Or a whole turkey to prevent it from drying out? Iโve always thought that aluminum foil was just a quick step for cleanup (so not a big priority for me), but there are certain dishes that need a heat barrier during cooking. Iโve never really had a need for parchment paper, but research brought me to this post. Thanks!
If the foil doesnโt touch the food, use it. Otherwise use parchment and then foil on top of that.
Lynn, that glass baking ware youโre using is made out of siliconโฆjust like silicone bakeware.
Also, aluminum is the most common metallic element in the earthโs crust. Itโs in all the food we eat, all the vegetables and fruits we grow. No need to avoid it โ itโs only implicated in things like Alzheimerโs because the body starts storing it improperly in the brain, not because it is, in itself, toxic.
https://www.zaclon.com/quilon-versatile-and-natural-release-treatments
I hope this will answer some of your questions about Quilon.
Hi,
I cook about 2 weeks of chicken and turkey and store it in the freezer. I am switching immediately to unbleached parchment paper!!! Is it safe to use unbleached parchment paper wrapped around the meat and then wrap the parchment paper/meat in tin foil? So itโs meat, wrapped in unbleached parchment paper, wrapped in tin foil? Then put in the freezerโฆ Or should I store the meat in unbleached parchment paper and in plastic freezer bags? Whatโs the safe way to do it?
Aluminium will leach when itโs heated or if it comes into contact with acidic foods. So I wouldnโt worry about wrapping chicken and turkey in foil for the freezer. If you cooked directly on aluminum foil, thatโs when I would switch to parchment. ๐ Hope that makes sense!
I am just wondering whether the parchment paper REALLY protects the foods from leaching. Is there any source for that? Thanks.
I am perfectly comfortable with lining aluminum and non-stick pans with unbleached parchment paper or silicone baking mats. And itโs not the foods that are leaching, itโs the materials in the cookware that leaches. You can start reading here: http://www.debralynndadd.com/q-a/natural-aluminum-bakeware/
Thanks for your reply and sorry for my bad English. Yes, I know that the material leaches and not the food. So, donโt you think the only way to get any material on the food is in a directly contact? Thanks
yes, that is what i think!
There are stainless steel baking sheets available on Amazon. I bought a couple that I like, however I still use unbleached parchment for connivance in clean up ๐
Yes, but the stainless baking sheets are not heavy-duty and tend to bend/warp at higher temps.
Iโm a Ph.D. student. A search for a paper that I can use as a non-stick paper at about 220 C for my research landed me here. The search for a solution keeps me reading more about food and health related topics.
So far it seems to me as if one of the followings could be a solution for me; Teflon sheet, unbleached parchment paper, and silicone paper. is this true? Also, I donโt know the smoothness nature of the papers because they are not readily available in Dammam. or probably I have not found the right supermarket or mall. silicone vs parchment paper which one is better in terms of heat resistance and smoothness. which of the two has a better capability of retaining its look or nature after use at high temperature?
Are you using these items for cooking? By silicone, I assume you mean silicone mats, such as Silat? Parchment paper can change its look after being used at very high temperatures, but silicone will not. Many unbleached parchment papers are coated with silicone, actually.
Teflon is more toxic than aluminum! The safest thing you can do is invest in high quality stainless steel or stoneware baking sheets and then line them with parchment. I highly doubt that parchment is going to act as a true barrier for the leaching of aluminum into foodโฆ paper is porous.
Agreeing with you on the Teflon. Know any high quality, heavy duty stainless baking sheets with rims? I have yet to find them. The ones I have tried all warp and buckle in the oven. I have two old ones from All-Clad, but they have been since discontinued. From what I have read, parchment paper is a good enough barrier. Silpat baking mats are another option.
Chemist here. Just to let you know, stainless steel leaches chromium and high grade stainless also leaches nickel. Not sure if that matters to you, butโฆ.
Thanks for your insight, Jamie. From what I understand, the only downside to either is if one has a nickel sensitivity or allergy, oneโs skin could break out in a rash. But that is if a person has an allergy. Do you have any additional information about side effects to the amounts of nickel or chromium that could leach from cookware? Thanks!
Hi Pamela, How about a cookware that leaches nothing, and when I say nothing, I mean NOTHING, nil, nada. A cookware โ pots and pans that are 100% inert. Miriamโs Earthen Cookware having tested all types of cookware, metal and ceramic, started making cookware with 100% primary clay. Their cookware is made by hand, and made in the USA from natural clay harvested and tested in the USA. Cookware made from All-Natural clay is 100% inert and doesnโt leach anything. It is what has been used for thousands of years in civilizations both great and small.
I love their cookware, having been cooking and eating out of it for years now. You should take a look too!
Check out their website when you can: miriamsearthencookware DOT com
I will certainly check them out! Thank you!!
Sounds awesome! We cook our turkey in clay and we finally are making amazing turkeys every time!