Can metal cooking utensils leach heavy metals into food?

Why metal can move into food

Metal cookware and cooking tools are made from alloys. Stainless steel, cast iron, aluminum, and coated pans all behave differently when they touch food.

Acidic foods, salty foods, long simmering, and high heat can pull more metal from a surface. Scratches and worn coatings can also make release more likely.

What the research says

A 2025 study in Int J Environ Health Res tested metal movement from common cooking utensils into acidic, alkaline, and drinking-water solutions. The researchers measured aluminum, iron, nickel, and lead with ICP-MS.

The study found that pH changed how much metal moved into the liquid. Some stainless-steel, teflon, and cast-iron tests exceeded WHO guideline values in acidic or alkaline media. Granite released the least in this study.

This does not mean every metal pan is unsafe. It does mean acidic cooking and old, unknown, or damaged cookware deserve more care.

What to do at home

Avoid storing tomato sauce, vinegar-based foods, or lemon-heavy foods in metal pots overnight. Retire cookware with flaking coatings, deep scratches, or unknown metal content.

For stirring and serving, olive wood tools can reduce extra metal contact and help protect pan surfaces. You still need well-made cookware for the pot or pan itself.