Air fryers have become a popular device for cooking food in a more practical and healthy way, and some recipes recommend using aluminum foil and even charcoal to prepare food. But is this practice harmful to health?
Are the combinations of aluminum and charcoal in the AirFryer harmful? Image: Freepik/Reproduction/NDTo better understand this question, ND+ sought the advice of Professor Alfredo Alberto Moxelle, 45, Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry and Bioinorganic Chemistry from UFSC (Federal University of Santa Catarina).
According to the specialist, it should be noted first that the air fryer is a device that cooks food using hot air with resistance.
“So basically it roasts the food (as in a conventional oven) and the practice of consuming food prepared in this appliance is completely safe,” he says.
Moxell explains that cooking food in aluminum foil is a common practice, “and this material is certainly one of the most suitable materials for this purpose, because it is a relatively inert metal under the conditions of use in cooking,” he says.
“It does not react with food (leaves no aftertaste or odor) and although some studies have shown that aluminum may leach into food, the amounts are low and should not be a cause for concern.”
The professor also points out that the melting point, that is, the temperature that must be reached for aluminum to begin to turn into a liquid, “is about 660 degrees Celsius, which is much higher than that achieved in air fryers, ovens and conventional stoves.”
“Packaging the food to be cooked in the air fryer does not cause problems for the device, as long as it allows air to flow through the basket, this increases the useful life of the device and increases the efficiency of cooking food.”
And can you use charcoal in an air fryer?
The specialist says that one of the main problems with this practice is the risk of accidents.
“Because the burning coal inside the equipment releases dust and sparks, which, when in contact with the electrical part, can cause a short circuit,” he says.
“With a reminder that sparking can be promoted by the forced circulation of air inside the fryer. If this happens, there is a risk of fire.”
Secondly, which is just as dangerous as the first, is exposing food to substances released from burning coal, mainly compounds released from primary burning, which are highly toxic.
Such as tar, nitrosamines, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are potentially carcinogenic. Therefore, it is important not to allow meat to come into contact with the coals before all the coals have heated up to red.
The professor also explains that, unlike a traditional grill, burning charcoal in an air fryer “does not allow for the rapid dissipation of the gases produced into the environment, which can increase the contact time between them and the food, which makes this practice dangerous for those who eat with food a lot of this kind.” of preparation.”
Some brands have already commented on the use of substances
For example, the Philips brand has a recommendation on its official website that aluminum foil should not be used in air fryer production lines.
According to the brand, the use of parchment paper and aluminum foil in the appliance is not recommended due to the following reasons:
- If you cover the bottom of the basket, the airflow inside the air fryer will be reduced. This will reduce the cooking performance of your Philips Airfryer.
- If you put parchment paper or aluminum foil on the bottom of the pan, where grease and grime collect, the air flow will stop and you won’t get a good baking result.
- If you put parchment paper or aluminum foil in your Philips Airfryer without food inside, these papers will be sucked into the heater and may get burned.
