Aluminium hazard in the food sector

This is a subject we should all know about, but is definitely underestimated. 

Despite the circulars issued by the Italian Ministry of Health and the fact that operators in the food sector are aware of the problem, we still have to ask in the delicatessen or the butcher's not to wrap our food in aluminium foil. And we must also convince, probably with poor results, our friend who invited us to a barbecue not to use aluminium.

In order to raise consumer awareness on the subject, we made this video that explains why aluminium should not be used in the kitchen.

Let us examine the legislation and studies on the subject.

Italy

An abstract of the Opinion of the Italian Ministry of Health CNSA n. 19/2017 3 May 2017 on the dangers of aluminium in the food sector and the most recent studies on the subject: 

Aluminum, which is omnipresent in our daily lives, is one of the metals with recognized potential health hazards, even considering the widespread presence in many foods and many other consumer products.

Aluminum interferes with different biological processes (cellular oxidative stress, calcium metabolism, etc.), therefore it can induce toxic effects in different organs and systems: nervous tissue is the most vulnerable target. 

For example, an increase in aluminum migration is caused by the addition of salt to water during the boil.

Studies carried out with food wrapped in aluminum foil and subjected to different types of cooking (in the oven and grilled on charcoal) have shown that the high temperature leads to an increase in the concentration of aluminum in the food.

In view of the above, the Food Safety Section of the CNSA recommends that consumers be provided with information about the proper use of aluminum-containing materials for the production and processing of food. food preparation in both domestic and business environments, i.e.:

- avoid scratching the containers, thus damaging the protective coating of anodized aluminum

- avoid direct contact of acidic or salty foods with aluminum foil

- avoid storing food in aluminum containers

EFSA estimated in its 2008 study (1) that, due to aluminum accumulation in the human body, a level of 1 mg/kg body weight per week (TWI = Tolerable Weekly Intake) should not be exceeded. 

In a 2019 study by the National Institutes of Health (2), the highest exposure to aluminum is from aluminum foil and aluminum cookware with a metal release ranging from 17.57 mg/kg for fish wrapped in aluminum foil type 8079 in an oven for 20 minutes at 200°C to 72.782 mg/kg for a broth with mains water in Kettle 18 cm aluminum alloy type 1050 on an electric stove for 1 hour.

A gorgonzola cheese wrapped in aluminum foil type 8079 stored in a refrigerator for 3 days at 5°C undergoes a transfer of 1.32 mg/kg. Parmesan cheese wrapped in aluminum foil type 8006 suffers a release of 3.63 mg/kg while if it is wrapped in aluminum foil type 8079 suffers a release of 0.69 mg/kg. 

Aluminum studies

• This study primarily focuses on two key aspects related to aluminum neurotoxicity and its mechanism in Alzheimer's disease: Liang R. Cross Talk Between Aluminum and Genetic Susceptibility and Epigenetic Modification in Alzheimer's Disease. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2018;1091:173-191. doi: 10.1007/978-981-13-1370-7_10. 

Abstract. This chapter primarily focuses on two key aspects related to aluminum neurotoxicity and its mechanism in Alzheimer's disease (AD), which are genetic susceptibility and epigenetic modification. The toxicity of aluminum has been confirmed from plant experiments, animal experiments, in vitro experiments, and epidemiological studies. However, the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon have largely remained elusive. Furthermore, there are more and more genetic factors that have been found to be strongly implicated for causing or increasing the risk of AD development and have been proved to be associated with the neurotoxicity of Al and play a significant role in the initiation and progression of AD. Epigenetics provide a bridge between genes and environment to improve our understanding on the etiology of AD. Al can modify the epigenetic status by DNA methylation, histone modifications, and noncoding RNAs and might thereby contribute to the pathophysiology of AD. However, very little is known about exact epigenetic patterns in AD.

• Aluminium is absorbed by the human body through the digestive system, the skin, the lungs.

Niu Q. Overview of the Relationship Between Aluminum Exposure and Health of Human Being. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2018;1091:1-31. doi: 10.1007/978-981-13-1370-7_1. 

Abstract. Aluminum is a type of ubiquitously existing naturally and widely used metal in our world. It is combined with other elements and forms different compounds. In different pH and due to other conditions, it can be released into ions of different valence states. Our century is an "aluminum age"; aluminum is used in many fields of our daily life, such as vaccine adjuvant, antacids, food additives, skin care products, cosmetics, and cooking wares, and may be as elements or contaminants appeared in a lot of foods, including infant formulae, milk products, juice, wine, sea foods, and tea. It also appears in drinking water due to the water treatment process, or naturally coming from weathering rocks and soils, or released from rocks and soils caused by pollution-induced acid rain. Due to good physical and chemical property, aluminum is being tremendously utilized in many industries. In a lot of production and process procedures, aluminum particulates are seriously exposed by workers. Many factors, such as silicon, citrate, iron, calcium, fluoride, etc., can affect absorption of aluminum in human body. Human being ingests aluminum through the respiratory and digestive system and skin. Aluminum can affect our health, especially impair central nervous system. The important damage is cognitive impairment in Al-exposed peoples, Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders have been related with aluminum exposure, and aluminum has been proposed as etiology.

• Long-term, high-concentration exposure to aluminium has been linked in meta-analyses with the development of Alzheimer's disease.  

Corkins MR; COMMITTEE ON NUTRITION. Aluminum Effects in Infants and Children. Pediatrics. 2019 Dec;144(6):e20193148. doi: 10.1542/peds.2019-3148.

Abstract. Aluminum has no known biological function; however, it is a contaminant present in most foods and medications. Aluminum is excreted by the renal system, and patients with renal diseases should avoid aluminum-containing medications. Studies demonstrating long-term toxicity from the aluminum content in parenteral nutrition components led the US Food and Drug Administration to implement rules for these solutions. ... Long-term, high-concentration exposure to aluminum has been linked in meta-analyses with the development of Alzheimer disease. Copyright © 2019 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

• The neurotoxicity of aluminium and the mechanism of oxidation

Kumar V, Gill KD. Aluminium neurotoxicity: neurobehavioural and oxidative aspects. Arch Toxicol. 2009 Nov;83(11):965-78. doi: 10.1007/s00204-009-0455-6. 

Abstract. Aluminium is the most widely distributed metal in the environment and is extensively used in daily life that provides easy exposure to human beings. The exposure to this toxic metal occurs through air, food and water. However, there is no known physiological role for aluminium within the body and hence this metal may produce adverse physiological effects. Chronic exposure of animals to aluminium is associated with behavioural, neuropathological and neurochemical changes. Among them, deficits of learning and behavioural functions are most evident. Some epidemiological studies have shown poor performance in cognitive tests and a higher abundance of neurological symptoms for workers occupationally exposed to aluminium. However, in contrast to well established neurotoxic effects, neurobehavioural studies of aluminium in rodents have generally not produced consistent results. Current researches show that any impairment in mitochondrial functions may play a major role in many human disorders including neurodegenerative disorders. Being involved in the production of reactive oxygen species, aluminium may cause impairments in mitochondrial bioenergetics and may lead to the generation of oxidative stress which may lead to a gradual accumulation of oxidatively modified cellular proteins. In this review, the neuropathologies associated with aluminium exposure in terms of neurobehavioural changes have been discussed. In addition, the impact of aluminium on the mitochondrial functions has also been highlighted.

• Aluminium is toxic to animals and humans. The most common sources of human exposure to aluminium are food and drink.  

Yu L, Wu J, Zhai Q, Tian F, Zhao J, Zhang H, Chen W. Metabolomic analysis reveals the mechanism of aluminum cytotoxicity in HT-29 cells. PeerJ. 2019 Aug 27;7:e7524. doi: 10.7717/peerj.7524. 

Abstract. Background: Aluminum (Al) is toxic to animals and humans. The most common sources of human exposure to Al are food and beverages. The intestinal epithelium is the first barrier against Al-induced toxicity. In this study, HT-29, a human colon cancer cell line, was selected as an in vitro model to evaluate the Al-induced alteration in metabolomic profiles and explore the possible mechanisms of Al toxicity....Conclusion: The metabolomics and RT-qPCR results indicate that the mechanisms of Al-induced cytotoxicity in HT-29 cells include cellular apoptosis, oxidative stress, and alteration of lipid, energy, and amino acid metabolism.

Possible treatments

Silica nanoparticles have a neuroprotective effect on the nervous system growth factor which plays a vital role in reducing cholinergic neuron loss in Alzheimer's disease. Neuroprotective Effect of Nerve Growth Factor Loaded in Porous Silicon Nanostructures in an Alzheimer's Disease Model and Potential Delivery to the Brain.  Zilony-Hanin N, Rosenberg M, Richman M, Yehuda R, Schori H, Motiei M, Rahimipour S, Groisman A, Segal E, Shefi O.  Small. 2019 Nov;15(45):e1904203. doi: 10.1002/smll.201904203.

Curcumin effectively counteracts the neurotoxicity of aluminium.  Efficacy of Curcumin in Ameliorating Aluminum- Induced Neurotoxicity.  Zhang H, Zhao W, Malhotra A.  J Environ Pathol Toxicol Oncol. 2018;37(2):163-172. doi:  10.1615/JEnvironPatholToxicolOncol.2018026437.

For more in-depth information: Alzheimer and Silica, possible treatment?

References_____________________________________________________________________

(1) European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Safety of aluminium from dietary intake - Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Food Contact Materials (AFC). EFSA J. 2008 Jul 15;6(7):754. doi: 10.2903/j.efsa.2008.754. PMID: 37213837; PMCID: PMC10193631.

(2) R. Feliciani, S. Giamberardini, C. Gesumundo, E. Testai, C. Le Donne, R. Piccinelli, S. Sette, A. Turrini, M.R. Milana   Studio sull’esposizione del consumatore all’alluminio derivante dal contatto alimentare. - 2019 - Rapporti ITISAN 19/23rev ISSN: 1123-3117