Nickel-Free Cookware and Allergy Q&A's

A. Many types of stainless steel (types 18-8 and 18-10 for example, known in other numbering systems as type 304 and type 316) have a significant amount (say 8-10 percent) of nickel in their composition, so perhaps she should avoid stainless steel cookware. Aluminum, cast iron, and ceramic coated should be essentially nickel-free. The stainless cookware made for induction cooking was originally type 400/4xx and was nickel-free, but I'm not sure if that still holds. Good luck.

A. Ted is right, using aluminum cookware should be OK, but I would like to add that, as far as I know, there is no evidence of nickel leaching out of stainless steel utensils and causing "nickel itch". I recall a study on stainless steel saucepans was carried out by a consultant for the Nickel Development Institute (NiDI) Go to their website and have a look. The thing about stainless steel is that the chromium in it provides an excellent protective barrier.

A. It seems unlikely that the nickel development institute would publicize the results of any research that might reduce the appeal of nickel in food contact applications.

For the record, in lab tests stainless steels do lose mass in the presence of certain food stuffs namely vinegar fumes and concentrated salt water solutions (watch out for ketchup). Some publications have noted that cows' milk has a high level of nickel compared to other foods; this may be due ubiquitous use of stainless steel containers to store bulk milk. More independently funded research into the amount of metals that leach into various foods from contact with stainless steel would provide more information.

I am motivated to know more about this because I recently developed arm tremor (I am just 39) and found that when I stopped drinking distilled water that had been ozonated and then stored in a stainless steel tank the tremor went away. I have always preferred not to put stainless cutlery into my mouth as I got a mild metallic taste from it. Since identifying the water effects I have switched over to Corningware (some sort of glass possibly lithium based) for stovetop cooking. Interestingly this change seems to be associated with a reduction of my wife's hand eczema.

A. I have had a metal allergy for years. Recently I began getting horrible blister-like bumps on my hands (and swollen lip when eating salad with acidic dressing). I eventually made the connection when I was eating that my "silverware" was causing this reaction at home, and a metal pen was flaring it up at work. I have since become very suspicious of my cookware and what effects it could be having on my digestion. I sincerely believe that it is causing my indigestion, because the symptoms have worsened along with my allergy in the past few months. Unfortunately, with this flare up I have also become allergic to my wedding ring. Thanks for the tip on the Corning cookware. I believe the metal is leaching out of my cookware, especially when I heat the foods for a long time. Better to side with caution.

A. There is a line of cookware on the market by Silit that is made of stainless steel that is nickel free and they make a pressure cooker in their line.

Thanks Gary. The Silit cookware is claimed to be both nickel-free and ferromagnetic.

Whether it's more properly called steel or stainless steel isn't clear to me from the info they've revealed, but it's glass-lined / ceramic lined, so it doesn't really seem to matter. Sounds like what the doctor ordered.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2006

A. I am also allergic to Nickel. I had a patch test done which showed a positive reaction to Nickel. Thankfully, I have been able to control my allergy symptoms (blistered hands and or lips with inflammation) by avoiding metal objects. No costume jewelry or gold and I always avoid metal utensils. Unfortunately, I do notice that when I am under intense stress my allergy starts to manifest slightly. The first picture on this website is about the same blisters I get when my allergy is at it's worse, which Thank God, hasn't happened for a few years since I began to control my nickel exposure. I've never received an exact diagnosis but I feel this link nailed it: dermnetnz.org/dermatitis/pompholyx.html

A. Hi Charity. Allergy to nickel is quite common.

Note that most gold jewelry is 10 to 14K, meaning that only 10 to 14 parts out of 24 are gold. And in the U.S., the 'missing' parts in white gold are usually nickel.

Regards,

A. Hi Haoqiq. At the risk of perhaps slight oversimplification, magnetic stainless steel (4xx series or 18-0 stainless) is nickel-free but non-magnetic stainless steel (304, 316, 18-8, 18-10) does contain 8-10% nickel.

Regards,

A. Hi Pat. We appended your inquiry to a thread on the general topic and, as you see, some people believe that nickel will not cause you a problem, but others pretty strongly believe that it will. There are many different types of cookware (cast iron, aluminum, teflon, glass), so I think you should just pick a different one.

Regards,

A. Hi Alison. It would be better if you could get your dermatologist or GP to answer that because skin allergy issues are a complicated issue, but I think it's no problem. To my knowledge the doctors don't even ask about nickel skin allergies before installing a nickel stint or a stainless steel joint implant.

Regards,

LOL! to Ted's answer. I have a nitinol (nickel/titanium alloy) implant. Some tens of thousands of other folks have the same. Given where it is, it's all but non-removable.

The surgeon, anesthesiologist, nurses, and my family doctor never mentioned nickel allergy. They apparently don't think nickel alloys are a problem.

A. Hi Alison. Aluminum does not contain nickel, and series 4xx (series 400, 430, 18-0) stainless steel does not contain nickel. Series 3xx stainless steel (304, 316, 18-8, 18-10) does contain nickel (8% or 10%).

Regards,

A. Chantal cookware made in Japan has no nickel ... even stainless steel has some.