Cottage industry as a source of high exposure to lead: A biomonitoring study among people involved in manufacturing cookware from scrap metal.

In low-income countries, a widespread but poorly studied type of cottage industry consists of melting scrap metal for making cookware. We assessed the exposure to lead (Pb) among artisanal workers, and their families, involved in manufacturing cookware from scrap metal. In a cross-sectional survey, we compared artisanal cookware manufacturing foundries with carpentry workshops (negative controls) and car battery repair workshops (positive controls), all located in residential areas, in Lubumbashi (DR Congo). We collected surface dust in the workspaces, and blood and urine samples among workers, as well as residents living in the cookware workshops. Trace elements were quantified in the samples by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). In surface dust, median Pb concentrations were higher in cookware foundries (347 mg/kg) than in carpentries (234 mg/kg) but lower than in battery repair workshops (22,000 mg/kg). In workers making the cookware (n = 24), geometric mean (GM) Pb blood cencentration was 118 µg/L [interquartile range (IQR) 78.4-204], i.e. nearly twice as high as among carpenters [60.2 µg/L (44.4-84.7), n = 33], and half the concentration of battery repair workers [255 µg/L (197-362), n = 23]. Resident children from the cookware foundries, had higher urinary Pb [6.2 µg/g creatinine (2.3-19.3), n = 6] than adults [2.3 (2.2-2.5), n = 3]. Our investigation confirms the high Pb hazard linked to car battery repair and reveals a high exposure to Pb among artisanal cookware manufacturers and their families, especially children, in residential areas of a city in a low-income country.

Unperceived, the impact of information gap design plateware on food waste.

Curiosity is a powerful motivator of behaviour. Although there have been some studies pertaining to the application of curiosity in the realm of food, research examining the potential to influence consumer food waste behaviour through the induction of curiosity is lacking. This study conducted two onsite dining experiments to explore the role and mechanism of curiosity in reducing food waste in a real dining environment by utilising an information gap design in tableware to induce participants' curiosity. Experiment 1 investigated the differences in food waste between participants using bowls with an information gap design and those using bowls with no information gap (blank bowls). Experiment 2 further controlled for other variables that could potentially influence the outcomes between bowls with and without information gaps; the latter displayed complete text externally. The results of both experiments consistently demonstrated a significant reduction in participants' food waste when utilising utensils with an information gap design. Moreover, we conducted an exploratory analysis combining these two experiments to examine the mediating mechanisms involved. Furthermore, the exploratory analysis suggested the mediating mechanism of curiosity elicited by the information gap design, ultimately leading to a decrease in food waste. This study presents a potential avenue for a simple and innovative approach for mitigating food waste.

Metal exposures from source materials for artisanal aluminum cookware.

Artisanal aluminum cookware releases lead and other metals that pose significant health risk for people in low and middle-income countries. Cookware is made from recycled engine and electronic appliance parts, cans, and other materials. We obtained fourteen custom-made pots from Ghana, produced from seven different scrap aluminum sources. We sought to determine whether avoiding certain source materials could reduce leaching of metals. Cooking was simulated using dilute acetic acid and palm oil. Aluminum released from all pots exceeded recommended guidelines. Variable amounts of lead, cadmium, chromium, nickel and other metals were leached, with the most lead coming from auto radiators and mixed metals. Pots made from engine blocks did not yield detectable amounts of lead. All pots released potentially harmful concentrations of two or more metals. Selective scrap aluminum sourcing for recycled cookware does not avoid metal contamination of food, although some sources may release lower concentrations of certain metals.

Clinical utilization of a sous vide device in the acute rewarming of frostbitten extremities.

The current standard of care for acute frostbite rewarming is the use of a circulating warm water bath at a temperature of 37 °C to 39 °C. There is no standardized method to achieve this. Manual management of a warm water bath can be inefficient and time consuming. This case describes the clinical use of a sous vide cooking device to create and maintain a circulating warm water bath to rewarm acute frostbite. A 34 year-old male presented to the emergency department with acute frostbite. Each of the patient's feet were placed in a water bath with a sous vide device attached to the side of the basin and set to 38 °C. Temperatures were recorded every 2 m from 2 thermometers. Once target temperature was achieved, the extremities were rewarmed for 30 m. The water baths required an average of 25 m to reach target temperature and maintained the target temperature within ±1 °C for the duration of the rewarming. The extremities were clinically thawed in one session and there were no adverse events. The patient was seen by plastic and vascular surgery and admitted to the hospital for conservative management. He was discharged on hospital day 3 and did not require any amputations. A sous vide device can be used clinically to heat and maintain a water bath and successfully rewarm frostbitten extremities in one 30 m cycle. No adverse events were reported and providers rated this as a convenient method of water bath management.

The origins of specialized pottery and diverse alcohol fermentation techniques in Early Neolithic China.

In China, pottery containers first appeared about 20000 cal. BP, and became diverse in form during the Early Neolithic (9000-7000 cal. BP), signaling the emergence of functionally specialized vessels. China is also well-known for its early development of alcohol production. However, few studies have focused on the connections between the two technologies. Based on the analysis of residues (starch, phytolith, and fungus) adhering to pottery from two Early Neolithic sites in north China, here we demonstrate that three material changes occurring in the Early Neolithic signal innovation of specialized alcoholic making known in north China: (i) the spread of cereal domestication (millet and rice), (ii) the emergence of dedicated pottery types, particularly globular jars as liquid storage vessels, and (iii) the development of cereal-based alcohol production with at least two fermentation methods: the use of cereal malts and the use of moldy grain and herbs (qu and caoqu) as starters. The latter method was arguably a unique invention initiated in China, and our findings account for the earliest known examples of this technique. The major ingredients include broomcorn millet, Triticeae grasses, Job's tears, rice, beans, snake gourd root, ginger, possible yam and lily, and other plants, some probably with medicinal properties (e.g., ginger). Alcoholic beverages made with these methods were named li, jiu, and chang in ancient texts, first recorded in the Shang oracle-bone inscriptions (ca. 3200 cal. BP); our findings have revealed a much deeper history of these diverse fermentation technologies in China.

Exposure assessment of bisphenol A by drinking coffee from plastic cups.

BACKGROUND: Human exposure to plastic and Bisphenol-A (BPA) is very wide in food or beverage containers and baby bottles that have contacted polycarbonate and epoxy resin. Currently a traditional beverage in Arabian culture is served in plastic cups instead of glass cups in different occasions. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the possible BPA leach from the grade 5 drinking coffee plastic cups into the coffee and whether the use of plastic cups instead of glass ones to serve hot Arabian coffee poses a health risk. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Oral administration of such coffee to three different groups of rats were undertaken. Each group consisted of 10 males and 10 females. The first group (G1) was gavaged 1.5 ml of hot water in glass cups. The second group (G2) was gavaged 1.5 ml of hot water in plastic cups while the third one (G3) was gavaged 1.5 ml of Arabian coffee in plastic cups. Serum concentrations of Bisphenol-A were measured 4 weeks later. Complete postmortem examination was conducted and representative tissue samples were subjected to histopathological evaluation. RESULTS: In the control group receiving water kept in a glass cup had 24 ± 2 µg/L serum concentration and the second group was 36 ± 4 µg/L while in the third group was 29 ± 6 µg/L. No significant postmortem changes or histopathological findings were present in the studied animals. CONCLUSIONS: Bisphenol-A can be leached from food-grade plastic cups into hot drinks within short period of time, posing a significant impact to public health.

SARS-CoV-2 RNA Detection on Disposable Wooden Chopsticks, Hong Kong.

We detected severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA on disposable wooden chopsticks used by 5 consecutive asymptomatic and postsymptomatic patients admitted for isolation and care at our hospital. Although we did not assess virus viability, our findings may suggest potential for transmission through shared eating utensils.

Risk of shared equipment in restaurants for consumers with peanut allergy: a simulation for preparing Asian foods: A simulation for preparing Asian foods.

BACKGROUND: Allergic reactions to meals consumed outside the home are common and can be severe and sometimes fatal. OBJECTIVE: To quantify the risk reduction potentially achieved by increasing an individual's threshold sensitivity to peanut (such as by means of immunotherapy) in scenarios of peanut exposure through shared kitchen materials in a restaurant setting. METHODS: Three versions of popular peanut-containing sauces were selected to represent common ingredients used in Asian cooking. Different combinations of utensils, equipment, sauces, and test conditions were prepared by a professional chef, with or without common cleaning procedures, to represent normal daily practice. Residue amounts of peanut-containing material on kitchen equipment and utensils were measured and used for quantitative risk assessment to model the risk reduction associated with increasing an individual's threshold. RESULTS: Shared utensils had mean residue amounts of 23 to 1519 mg peanut protein (no cleaning) and 3 to 82 mg peanut protein (after water rinse). Shared woks and pans had up to 20 mg peanut protein after rinsing. Individuals who reach a threshold of 300 mg peanut protein have a predicted relative risk reduction of 94.9% to greater than 99.99% with brief cleaning. With no cleaning, relative risk reductions were 63.5% to 91.1% for individuals with a baseline threshold of less than or equal to 100 mg peanut protein who reach a threshold of 300 mg peanut protein, increasing to 91% to 99.7% when reaching a threshold value of 1000 mg peanut protein. CONCLUSION: In all shared kitchen material scenarios that we studied, achieving an eliciting dose of 300 or 1000 mg peanut protein seems clinically relevant for the peanut-allergic population.

What the forks? A longitudinal quality improvement study tracking cutlery numbers in a public teaching and research hospital staff tearoom.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the circulation lifespan of forks and teaspoons in an institutional tearoom. DESIGN: Longitudinal quality improvement study, based on prospective tracking of marked teaspoons and forks. SETTING: Staff tearoom in a public teaching and research hospital, Brisbane. PARTICIPANTS: Tearoom patrons blinded to the purposes of the study. INTERVENTION: Stainless steel forks and teaspoons (18 each) were marked with red spots and introduced alongside existing cutlery (81 items) in the tearoom. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Twice weekly count of marked forks and teaspoons for seven weeks; baseline and end of study count of all utensils on day 45. RESULTS: The loss of marked teaspoons (six of 18) was greater than that of forks (one of 18) by the conclusion of the study period (P = 0.038). The overall rate of utensil loss was 2.2 per 100 days for teaspoons and spoons, and -2.2 per 100 days for forks and knives. CONCLUSIONS: Teaspoon disappearance is a more substantial problem than fork migration in a multidisciplinary staff tearoom, and may reflect different kleptomaniacal or individual appropriation tendencies. If giving cutlery this Christmas, give teaspoons, not forks. The symbolism of fork rebirth or resurrection is appropriate for both Christmas and Easter, and forks are also mighty useful implements for eating cake!

A method to evaluate factors influencing the microbial reduction in domestic dishwashers.

AIMS: To develop a method that is able to determine the microbial reduction in different dishwasher cleaning cycles and differentiate between different program parameters used. METHODS AND RESULTS: Stainless steel biomonitors were contaminated with Micrococcus luteus or Entereococcus faecium and cleaned in a specially programmed household dishwasher with different cleaning temperatures and durations. No detergent, bleach-free detergent or detergent containing activated oxygen bleach was used. The logarithmic reduction (LR) was determined. The microbial reduction depended on the cleaning temperature, the duration of the cleaning cycles and the detergent type used. LR increased with higher temperatures, longer cleaning cycles and use of detergent. CONCLUSIONS: The factors cleaning cycle temperature, cleaning cycle duration, final rinsing temperature and the use of detergent all contributed to the reduction of test-strains in dishwasher cycles. A combination of longer dishwashing cycles and increased temperatures resulted in LRmax of the microbial load. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Cycles in domestic appliances are very diverse; therefore a standardized method to determine their ability to reduce the microbial load is of great use. The method described here is able to demonstrate the reductions achieved by dishwashing cycles with different parameters and might help to find the necessary balance between energy saving and an acceptable level of hygiene.

A novel approach to rapid rewarming of a frostbitten extremity: The sous vide method.

BACKGROUND: Rapid rewarming of an acutely frostbitten extremity has been the standard treatment for nearly 60 years, however, there are no existing practical recommendations to create a warm water bath. Our study describes a novel approach to rapid rewarming using a sous vide cooking device to create and maintain a circulating warm water bath at a desired set temperature. METHODS: A series of in vitro experiments were performed to assess the efficacy of different methods of maintaining constant water temperature while rapidly rewarming a simulated frostbitten extremity (frozen pig's foot). An Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker® was attached to a 5 gallon bucket and used to circulate and maintain the water at 104 °F while rewarming a frozen pig's foot. This method was compared to manual exchange of water to maintain the temperature at 104 °F and to a control with no water exchanged. During each experiment, the temperature of the water was recorded every 2 min and the pliability of the pig's foot was assessed after 30 min. RESULTS: The sous vide method maintained circulating water at a constant temperature of 104 °F for 30 min. At 30 min the frozen pig's foot was warm, soft, and pliable. The manual method resulted in temperature fluctuations requiring frequent large volume water exchanges. When no water was exchanged, the water cooled quickly and the pig's foot remained partially frozen. CONCLUSION: Sous vide rewarming is a novel method that easily creates and maintains a warm water bath ideal for rapid rewarming of a frostbitten extremity.

Recycled aluminium cooking pots: a growing public health concern in poorly resourced countries.

Lead exposure remains a significant public health problem, particularly in the informal sector. Recycling of scrap metal into artisanal pots is a growing concern in poorly resourced countries. Owing to the relatively light weight and low cost of the artisanal pots, as well as good conductivity which equates to lower usage of wood fuel, the pots are widely used. The aim of this article is to describe current insights and emerging evidence of health risks associated with artisanal pot making and usage. This thriving industry, particularly in poorly resourced communities, has multifaceted occupational, environmental and human health impacts. Given the complexity, innovative solutions need to be prioritized, evaluated and scaled up in relevant settings.

Using pictorial nudges of fruit and vegetables on tableware to increase children's fruit and vegetable consumption.

Children's fruit and vegetable consumption is lower than recommended. Increasing consumption is important for children's health. Nudges influence children's eating behaviour, but less is known about the influence of a pictorial nudge on tableware on children's fruit and vegetable consumption. Two studies examined this. Study 1 examined whether a pictorial fruit nudge (a grape image) on a plate influenced children's fruit (grape) consumption relative to a control condition (no image). In a between-subjects design, children (n = 63, Mean age = 8.9 years, SD = 1.41, 38 females, 25 males, 73% had a healthy-weight) were randomly assigned to one of two conditions (fruit nudge vs. control). Study 2 examined the influence of a large portion pictorial nudge (a large portion carrot image) vs. a small portion pictorial nudge (a small portion carrot image) vs. control (no nudge) on children's vegetable (carrot) consumption. In a between-subjects design, children (n = 59, Mean age = 8.57 years, SD = 2.13, 31 females, 28 males, 85% had a healthy-weight) were randomly assigned to a condition. In Study 1 children consumed significantly more fruit in the pictorial nudge condition than the control condition. In Study 2 children ate significantly more vegetables in the large portion pictorial nudge condition than the other two conditions. The small portion pictorial nudge did not affect children's vegetable consumption relative to control. The results indicate that pictorial nudges on tableware influence children's fruit and vegetable consumption, and the portion size of this type of nudge may be key to whether it influences children's eating behaviour.

Observed Food Safety and Sanitation Behavior for Chinese Culinary Cooking.

The purpose of this study is to develop a Chinese culinary food safety and sanitation behavior scale that can be used in industry auditing, inspection, and training, as well as in school education. This study first observed food safety and sanitation behaviors in the order of cleaning, cutting, and cooking procedures according to the standards of Chinese culinary cooking. According to the observation results, for the cleaning component, alcohol disinfection after cleaning utensils and hands, the utensil cleaning sequence, the placing of cutting boards, the cleanliness of articles and water tanks, and other cross-contamination actions, as well as the complete removal of gills and scales of fish in fish handling, received lower scores. In terms of cutting, cutting sequences for various ingredients, the three-stage egg knocking sequence, the cleaning actions after each action, and the action of cleaning the knife and cutting board again were not performed properly. In the cooking step, the cross-contamination of cutting raw and cooked food, the placing of finished products, plate decorations, and the cross-contamination of not wearing gloves when contacting cooked food and tasting the food were still major problems. Finally, the cleanliness of the working area still needs improvement in all processing.

Using a ripple wall to help blind people measure the water level in a container.

The aim of this study is to determine whether swiping the ripple wall of a container can help blind people to measure the water level in it. Swiping the ripples on the wall of a container above the water level produces a different sound from doing so below the water level, and this difference in sound may be able to indicate the level of water in the container. Such sound differences associated with 27 3 D-printed containers with a capacity of 500 ml and various forms were recorded. One of the printed containers and a commercially available beverage container were tested by blind people to measure water levels in three operations. The experimental results reveal that the thickness of the wall affected the sound most strongly. The errors in the estimated water levels were significantly smaller when the containers was lifted and swiped than when it was lifted only. Practitioner summary: Lifting only is used by blind people to judge the fullness of a container. The experimental results reveal that the errors in the estimated water levels were significantly smaller when blind people lifted and swiped a 500 ml container with a ripple wall than when it was lifted only. Abbreviations: FA I: fast adapting fibers I; FA II: fast adapting fibers II; SA I: slowly adapting fibers I; SA II: slowly adapting fibers II.

[Usage status of salt control spoon and influencing factors among students' caregivers of four cities in China in 2014].

OBJECTIVE: To analysis the usage status of salt control spoon and explore its influencing factors among student caregivers of four cities. METHODS: The data of 2014 salt knowledge, attitude, practice(KAP) survey among urban residents in China was used, which a total of 12 848 student caregivers(male 4862, female 7986) were recruited from Guangzhou, Wuhan, Chengdu and Shenyang by stratified random cluster sampling method. A self-filling questionnaire survey was used to collect information about knowledge of salt and usage of salt control spoon. Logistic regression model was used to explore influencing factors of salt control spoon usage effected by gender, education level, family income, salt related knowledge, etc. . RESULTS: The proportion of student caregivers who didn't know salt control spoon was 33. 3%, and 41. 9% of them knew salt control spoon but hadn't it. Only 24. 8% of them have heard of salt control spoon and had it at home. The proportion of having not heard salt control spoon among Wuhan, male, junior high school and below, other occupation and low family income group was higher than other groups. The proportion of having salt control spoon of groups in Guangzhou, female, high school and above, professional technical and clerical personnel, high family income was higher than other groups, and the difference was statistically significant(P<0. 01). Among the student caregivers having salt control spoon, the proportion of did not used salt control spoon, used it occasionally or used it without controlling the quantity and used it often and controlled the quantity was 10. 0%, 60. 6% and 29. 5%, respectively. The student caregivers of Shenyang, male, high family income groups used salt control spoon and controlled the quantity more often than the other groups, and the difference was statistically significant(P<0. 05). As shown in multivariate logistic regression analysis, the OR(95%CI) of high school and above, high income level, knowing the recommended intake of salt, knowing that high salt diet can cause high blood pressure on the influence of having salt control spoon was 1. 328(1. 221-1. 445), 1. 268(1. 029-1. 563), 1. 243(1. 145-1. 348)and 0. 838(0. 763-0. 921), respectively. Among the student caregivers who having salt control spoon, the OR(95%CI) of knowing the recommended intake of salt, knowing that high salt diet can cause high blood pressure, and source of salt control spoon(community/unit, friends/relatives) on the influence of using salt control spoon was 1. 473(1. 259-1. 722), 1. 249(1. 040-1. 501)and 0. 505(0. 415-0. 615)/0. 603(0. 441-0. 823), respectively. CONCLUSION: There still existed lower proportion of awareness and usage of salt control spoon.

Differences in dietary composition between infants introduced to complementary foods using Baby-led weaning and traditional spoon feeding.

BACKGROUND: Baby-led weaning (BLW) is a method of introducing solid foods to infants, which centres around the infant self-feeding family foods. BLW has grown in popularity over the last 10 years; however, although research is starting to build around the safety and impact of the method, research examining intake is sparse. This is important because concerns have been raised by healthcare providers regarding the nutrient and energy sufficiency of BLW. The present study aimed to invstigate exposure to different food types based on different weaning approaches. METHODS: One hundred and eighty parents completed a 24-h recall of the foods given to their babies aged 6-12 months. Respondents were split into those following strict BLW, loose BLW and traditional spoon-feeding. Recalls were examined to ascertain the number of times in 24 h infants were given different types of foods, including iron-containing foods. The results were then compared between different weaning groups and age groups. RESULTS: Several significant differences were found between the frequency of foods eaten by different weaning and age groups: in the youngest age group, strict BLW infants were more likely to be exposed to vegetables (P = 0.000) and protein (P = 0.002) than traditionally weaned babies, whereas, at all age groups, the traditionally weaned group had the highest exposure to composite meals. However, no significant differences were found in reported exposure to iron-containing foods between weaning groups at any age. Maternal age, education and milk feeding method were controlled for throughout the analyses. CONCLUSIONS: The findings add to a growing body of evidence that suggest a BLW approach may be safe and sufficient.

Food insecurity and food preparation equipment in US households: exploratory results from a cross-sectional questionnaire.

BACKGROUND: Food insecurity (FI) impacted 15.7% (5.9 million) of US households with children in 2017. These households often experience issues within one or more of the food security pillars: access, availability, utilisation or stability. An underexplored area within the pillar of utilisation that may impact FI risk is the availability of kitchen equipment in households. This exploratory project aimed to quantify household food preparation equipment ownership and use by household FI status. METHODS: An online platform (Qualtrics, Provo, UT, USA) was used to administer a questionnaire to a sample of 135 parents of children aged 11-14 years. The instrument queried sociodemographic characteristics, food preparation items owned and frequency of use of 44 items within a 6-month interval. Household FI was measured using the 18-item US Department of Agriculture, Household Food Security Survey Module with a 12-month reference period. RESULTS: Households experiencing FI (n = 39; 28.9%) owned an average of five fewer items than their food secure counterparts (n = 96, 71.1%, P < 0.001), reporting lower item ownership within each equipment category subgroup (i.e. large appliances, small appliances, food preparation utensils and cooking utensils; all P < 0.01). There were no differences between FI and food secure households in frequency of use (all P > 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to food secure households, the number of food preparation items owned was lower, although frequency of use was the same, in US households that were FI. Future projects should investigate how food equipment ownership impacts cooking behaviours, and whether households experiencing FI display behaviours to compensate for a differing set of equipment.

[National report of blood lead levels and lead-glazed ceramics use in vulnerable children.] / Reporte nacional de niveles de plomo en sangre y uso de barro vidriado en población infantil vulnerable.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of elevated (≥5.0µg /dL) blood lead levels (BLL) and its association with the use of lead glazed ceramics (LGC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 2018, we measured capillary BLL in a representative sample of children 1 to 4 years old residing in Mexican localities under 100 000 inhabitants (Ensanut 100k). We inquired about use of LGC for food preparation and consumption. To estimate its association with BLL, multinomial logit models stratified by region were generated. RESULTS: The prevalence of elevated BLL levels was 21.8%. For the North, Central and South regions, the prevalence were 9.8, 20.7 and 25.8%, respectively. The association with use and frequency of LGC was highly significant and differential by region. CONCLUSIONS: Lead exposure remains a public health problem in Mexico, particularly in the Central and South regions, and is strongly associated with the use of LGC.

OBJETIVO: Estimar la prevalencia de niveles elevados (≥5.0µg/dL) de plomo en sangre (PbS) y su asociación con el uso de loza de barro vidriado con plomo (LBVPb). MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: En 2018 se midió PbS capilar en una muestra represen- tativa de niños de 1 a 4 años de edad residentes en localidades de México menores de 100 000 habitantes (Ensanut 100k). Se indagó sobre uso de LBVPb para consumo de alimentos. Para estimar su asociación con PbS, se generaron modelos logit multinomial estratificados por región. RESULTADOS: La prevalencia de niveles elevados de PbS fue de 21.8%. En las regiones Norte, Centro y Sur las prevalencias fueron 9.8, 20.7 y 25.8%, respectivamente. La asociación con uso y frecuencia de LBVPb fue altamente significativa y diferencial por región. CONCLUSIONES: La exposición a plomo permanece como un problema de salud pública en México, particularmente en el Centro y Sur, y está fuertemente asociada con el uso de LBVPb.

Aluminium utensils: Is it a concern?

Aluminium utensils are ubiquitous in Indian households and other developing countries. Concerns have recently been raised on the pathological effects of aluminium on the human body, due to its leaching from utensils with long-term use, which has been associated with certain clinical conditions such as anaemia, dementia and osteo-malacia. While some studies suggest that cooking in utensils or aluminium foils is safe, others suggest that it may lead to toxic levels of aluminium in the body. However, studies have shown that leaching of aluminium from cooking utensils depends on many factors such as pH, temperature and cooking medium. In healthy controls, 0.01 %-1 % of orally ingested aluminium is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and is eliminated by the kidney. Although the metal has a tendency to accumulate in tissues and may result in their dysfunction, the literature suggests that the apprehension is more apt in patients with chronic renal insufficiency. This article offers solutions to mitigate the risk of aluminium toxicity.