AboutCarol Schlitt Expertise I can answer questions on home food safety, sanitation, home food preservation and commercial food safety (HACCP).
Experience I am an Extension educator, nutrition, wellness and food safety. I am a certified HACCP manager and a food safety instructor for the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Organizations International Association for Food Protection, American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (Certified CFCS), National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Society for Nutrition Education.
Education/Credentials BS - University of Illinois
MS - Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville
Question Why is it that there is so little regulation on the safety of the
cookware that is offered for use?
Why, in the food preparation, dairy and beverage industry does a
certain grade of surgical stainless HAVE to be used ( even in bulk
tanks where the milk is COLD ) whereas in the home such
products as polymers, low grade basic 304 austensic stainless,
and acidic aluminum can be allowed?
Doesn't it make sense that if the Dairy and Pharmaceutical
industries need to use 316L Surgical Stainless for non-
contamination and cleanliness that the public should be made
aware of why they CANNOT use anything but?
This has amazed me for the past decade. Aluminum and Teflon
and cheap stainless has been dumped on the market, when we
are at the point in man kind where we have never been so
educated.
Changing cookware and food preparation standards in the home
would affect the health of Americans. Or would that be against
the corporate profile of 'make money for stockholders at any
cost'?
I am leading to the lack of awareness that is so abundant and it
only gets proliferated when Experts such as yourself don't even
discuss it.
I discovered Saladmaster Cookware in 1995. I was discusted
when I learned more about what we are not told about the
cookware that is marketed to us.
To this day I am simply amazed at the ignorance...or is it just
business as usual. More such questions need to be asked, and
investigated by you experts...if the public is to be lead by your
information and example.
( all one needs to do is to boil water - let alone some sodium
water to mimic a basic food reaction - for 5 minutes in different
pots, taste it and ask if that is healthy to ingest or what on earth
is it doing when I cook food in here? Why do they line tin cans?
Why do cigarettes touch the paper side of the foil in the pack
and not the foil side? Why if cast iron and steel rust, are we
simply instructed to scrub it clean and re-oil it? )
Why, why, why?
Answer Hi Sandy,
I've forwarded this question on to the Cookware Manufacturer's Association (www.cookware.org) for their responce to your initial question concerning regulation. When I receive their answer I'll send it to you.
You've raised many good questions and I can tell you are genuinely concerned about the safety of our food supply and cookware safety. As an Extension educator, I can only base my opinion based on credible research. If and when replicatable research is presented that shows that certain types of cookware are a risk, then I will share that information with my audiences.
At the present time, the body of credible research does not show significant health risks for using the cookware that is availabe in the US. Yes, it is true that certain metals used in the manufacturing can leach into foods (ie aluminum and acid foods such as tomatoes) however, the risk is extremely low and has not been shown to cause significant harm. Tomato and other acidic foods are lined to keep down the reaction that can cause black spots in the can. However -- the black spots are harmless. Consumers don't like seeing black spots so they line the cans.
As a non-smoker I'm not aware of the side cigarettes touch in the pack -- but I'll see if I can find the research behind this packaging question.
As far as rust on cast iron and steel -- I'm not aware of any major health studies that have pointed to rusty cookware as major health problem.
I'll be in touch Sandy -- hope you have a good Memorial Day Holiday.
Carol C. Schlitt
Extension Educator, Nutrition and Wellness
University of Illinois Extension
