Well IDK if it was the meat that ate through the aluminum foil (heavy - store brand variety) or if it was something else. I was shocked when I took
it out of the fridge and saw what looked like black corrosion spots on top of the foil. I thought something corrosive had splattered on top after I
put it on the container.
When I took it off I saw it was holes and there was aluminum on the meat in places.
The meat was sliced steak cooked in olive oil with salt and pepper, so nothing out of the ordinary (at least in my world..). There was little fat in
the meat as it was pretty lean, so there is the meat fat as well.
I have never seen this before and have been told others have seen this but they are small pin-hole's often in thin foil sometimes re-used many times
with fold marks - the holes appearing along the fold lines. This has been reported by campers/hikers.
The meat was stored in the fridge @ 38F for 2 days (few hours less actually) in a stainless steel bowl. I'm wondering if there was some
electro-chemical reaction between the Al and SS?
I worked in restaurants for years in my younger years and we always stored food in stainless bowls/trays/etc with Al foil for days to a week or so,
maybe longer depending on what it is. I never saw anything like this then.
Has anyone else experienced this?
[Edited on 4-11-2016 by RogueRose]
DraconicAcid - 3-11-2016 at 18:01
It's the salt.Morgan - 3-11-2016 at 18:18
Tidbits
"According to the Reynold's Wrap website, "when aluminum foil comes in contact with a different metal or a food that is highly salted or acidic, small
pinholes are formed in the foil. This is a harmless reaction that does not affect the safety of the food."
"Reynold's says a reaction happens when aluminum foil comes in contact with salt, vinegar, highly acidic foods -- such as tomatoes -- or highly spiced
foods. The foil seems to dissolve or get eaten away, but what happens is it turns into an aluminum salt. Aluminum salts, like sodium aluminum
phosphate, are found in many processed foods. Most scientists do not consider aluminum toxic. The Reynold's website says: "The food can be safely
eaten; however, the aluminum salt particles can be removed from the food to improve the appearance of the food."
"If the aluminum reaction bothers you, in many situations you can put parchment paper between the food and the foil."
"The company says this can also happen when aluminum and another metal are in contact with each other in a moist environment, leading to a reaction
that causes a breakdown of the aluminum. To avoid this unsavory occurrence, use aluminum, glass, ceramic, plastic or paper containers with foil. Do
not cover sterling silver, silverplate, stainless steel or iron with aluminum foil." http://www.oregonlive.com/foodday/index.ssf/2010/04/take_a_s...
While that may have been true many years ago, it is not the case now!
The metal is linked to Alzheimer's disease and is thought to have other serious effects in the brain?
Morgan - 4-11-2016 at 17:40
I had some qualms about putting the Reynolds information in quotes as if I shared their views. I don't even like baking powder. Lots of chefs are
using foil to wrap meats, fish fillets, etc and then commonly cooking these things in the aluminum, they're so clever. It's nice that the Reynolds
company says it's safe though. I prefer to err on the side of caution.
I use parchment paper when baking cookies on an aluminum cookie sheet. I've noticed when washing a cookie sheet in the sink there's often a black
residue on the sponge or if rubbed with a clean damp paper towel.
Tidbits
"Baking powders are available both with and without aluminium compounds.[17] Some people prefer not to use baking powder with aluminium because they
believe it gives food a vaguely metallic taste and aluminium is not an essential mineral. Others object because of possible health concerns associated
with aluminium intake. In 2015, Cook's Country, an American TV show and magazine,[15] evaluated six baking powders marketed to consumers. They
reported that 30% of their testers (n=21) noted a metallic flavor in cream biscuits made with brands containing aluminum." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baking_powder
[Edited on 5-11-2016 by Morgan]Metacelsus - 4-11-2016 at 21:29
Aluminum is definitely neurotoxic, but has poor oral bioavailability.Maroboduus - 5-11-2016 at 11:16
While that may have been true many years ago, it is not the case now!
The metal is linked to Alzheimer's disease and is thought to have other serious effects in the brain?
There was a lot of noise in the 70s about aluminum causing Alzheimer's.
This has been studied since then and it is not currently accepted that this is so. In fact there seems to be a fairly broad consensus among
researchers that this was a red herring.
Fears of Aluminum causing Alzheimer's back then drew much public attention and because of this they have lived beyond the scientific controversy that
begat them.
Random - 6-11-2016 at 06:25
I wouldn't eat that mean regardless.AJKOER - 14-11-2016 at 17:48
In my limited understanding, it may not be directly the aluminum that's the problem, but its ability to generate current (reference Al/air battery,
the 'bleach battery' with Al/NaOCl or Al/HOCl, Al/Iodine battery, Al and other metals like Ag, the action of NaOH on AlH3,...) especially in the
presence of an electrolyte (like NaCl).
Add dissolved oxygen, and one may be able to create the superoxide radical. The latter can lead to other reactive oxygen species (especially in the
presence of transition metals and appropriate pH) including the hydroxyl radical which can attack ones DNA, which may result in cancer.
