No risk of Alzheimer's disease from aluminium in consumer products

Aluminium is the third most frequent element in the earth's crust and occurs naturally in drinking water and other foods, particularly in fruit and vegetables. For consumers the main uptake route is food. There may be additional exposure from aluminium-containing food-contact articles like kitchen utensils, cans, foils or tubes from which the light metal migrates into the food. Furthermore, aluminium may also be contained in medicinal products to neutralise gastric acid, so-called antacids and in cosmetic products. In roll-on deodorants, for instance, it is used for its antiperspirant action. Dietary aluminium has a low toxicity. The substance and its compounds are poorly soluble at neutral pH. However, solubility increases considerably in the presence of acids and salts. The safety of aluminium uptake from food-contact articles and cosmetic products is repeatedly questioned. This applies in particular to its possible involvement in the development of Alzheimer's disease, a form of dementia that may be linked to elevated aluminium concentrations in the cerebral regions affected. Compared to uptake from food or antacids, aluminium intake from food-contact articles and cosmetic products is low. It is far lower than the intake which is deemed to be safe on the basis of an updated assessment of the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Health Organisation (JEFCA, 2006). So far no causal relationship has been proven scientifically between elevated aluminium uptake from foods including drinking water, medicinal products or cosmetics and Alzheimer's disease. Concerning the increased solubility of aluminium in the presence of acids and salts, BfR recommends that no aluminium-containing pans or bowls should be used for foods like apple puree, rhubarb, tomato puree or salted herring. No aluminium foil should be used in contact with these foods either. This is one way of actively avoiding unnecessary aluminium uptake.DE; en; efsa-focal-point@bfr.bund.d