Recently, the air fryer has become a great assistant for many Vietnamese housewives. Instead of putting food in the pot and pressing the frying mode, many people line it with aluminum foil or wax paper. This helps to prevent food from sticking to the bottom and sides of the pot, making cleaning easier.
However, some people are worried that these types of paper can be toxic when in contact with food at high temperatures. Dr. Vu Thi Tan, tutor of Inorganic Chemistry, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, gave an analysis:
1. Silver foil
Dr. Tan said that aluminum foil is made from rolled aluminum with 98.5% aluminum, the remaining components are iron and silicone to create mechanical strength. Aluminum foil can withstand temperatures up to 240 - 250ºC.
Aluminum foil is often used in cooking such as wrapping food when baking in the oven, wrapping food when grilling on charcoal... Almost all eateries and restaurants in Europe use aluminum foil trays to hold take-away food or leftover food for customers. Aluminum foil is used in fast food restaurants to wrap hamburgers, hot dogs...
During high temperature cooking, cooking acidic foods, aluminum in foil can be released into food in small amounts. This makes people worry because aluminum can cause dementia, kidney disease...
A type of aluminum foil used in cooking.
Photo: Dr. Vu Thi Tan
"However, all mainstream health sites: Centers for Disease Control/Alzheimer's Association advise that the amount of aluminum that can be released from aluminum foil during cooking is not harmful to your health," said Dr. Tan.
Furthermore, water, soil, plants, some food additives and pharmaceuticals contain small amounts of aluminum. For example, aspirin contains a small amount of aluminum additives. Scientists confirm that the amount of absorbed aluminum will be naturally eliminated by the body and will not affect your health if you do not consume aluminum daily.
Aluminum foil is usually recommended to be used at a temperature of 200 - 220ºC to ensure safety. Aluminum foil contains aluminum, so it should not be used to prepare acidic foods: tomatoes, lemons, vinegar...
2. Parchment paper
There are two types on the market: non-stick paper and wax paper.
Non-stick paper is a type of paper that has been treated with sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4) to create a non-stick surface. After being treated with sulfuric acid, the paper can withstand temperatures up to 200ºC, some manufacturers say it can withstand temperatures up to 220ºC. The paper will be brown after acid treatment, or there will be an additional bleaching step to make the paper opaque white.
Parchment paper used in air fryer
Photo: Phan Diep
In addition, acid-treated paper is also coated with a layer of silicone that is heat-resistant and is called wax paper. Silicone is an inorganic polymer that is heat-resistant and quite inert to common foods. Silicone-coated wax paper is usually resistant to 250ºC, and is used in ovens and air fryers. Wax paper is used more than non-stick paper because it is more heat-resistant.
"Both aluminum foil and wax paper are considered safe to use in air fryers and for general cooking. Note that aluminum foil should not be used at temperatures above 220ºC and with acidic foods," Dr. Tan concluded.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/dung-giay-bac-giay-nen-trong-noi-chien-khong-dau-co-doc-hai-khong-185250705205714424.htm
Comment (0)