Testing Old Aluminum Cookware For Toxicity

[@pruff5072]

After doing some light reading here's what I believe: Your video just demonstrated that your cast aluminum pot is not anodized and therefore will readily react with acidic foods (apples are about a pH of 3.5). As far as I know it was/is not common to anodize cast aluminum so I suppose that part is not surprising. Non-cast aluminum cookware is commonly anodized, which is some type of process which prevents the surface of the aluminum from reacting with foods. Supposedly if the surface has been scratched then the aluminum will react more readily. But aluminum exposure and dangers are basically none existent since so little aluminum gets released and consumed. Though this does not help the bad taste that gets imparted on foods, so I don't think I would personally want to use non-anodized aluminum for cooking. Either way seems like cooking acidic foods in aluminum is undesirable. One of my references below: "Lightweight aluminum is an excellent heat conductor, but it’s also highly reactive with acidic foods such as tomatoes, vinegar, and citrus. Cooking these in aluminum can alter the food’s flavor and appearance and leave the pan with a pitted surface. In our tests, we detected an unpleasant metallic taste in tomato sauce and lemon curd cooked in aluminum pots. The amount of aluminum that leaches into food, however, is minimal. In lab tests, tomato sauce that we cooked in an aluminum pot for two hours and then stored in the same pot overnight was found to contain only .0024 milligrams of aluminum per cup. (A single antacid tablet may contain more than 200 milligrams of aluminum.) Our science editor reports that the consensus in the medical community is that using aluminum cookware poses no health threat. In short: While untreated aluminum is not unsafe, it should not be used with acidic foods, which may ruin both the food and the cookware. Also note that aluminum cookware that has been anodized (hardened through a process that renders it nonreactive) or clad in a nonreactive material, such as stainless steel or a nonstick coating, does not leach into or react with foods." www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/6390-is-aluminum-cookware-safe

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Fantastic comments! Thanks for the research and I'm pinning your comment to the top of the list for others to read.

[@pruff5072]

@@Reallybigmonkey1 Thanks, friend. I had to make sure I wasn't possibly consuming poisonous stuff either haha. While you're here, do you have any videos that might cater to what gear one should take on a day hike? I watched a video of yours on survival kit options but maybe there is a day-hike loadout that you have already shared?

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

@@pruff5072 Sorry but no day hike load outs. Just survival type stuff.

[@pruff5072]

@@Reallybigmonkey1 Oh no worries. I'll just keep in mind your advice on the survival kits so I can incorporate a decent one in my day hike kit.

[@Woppettier]

Anodized aluminium does still leach into food although far less than unteated surfaces. Using untreated aluminium cookware day to day is probably still a very bad idea. You may cherry pick your studies though and reach your own conclusion

[@Hannacastle]

Hey, nice video. I work as a cook, and we use aluminum pans. When we clean them after we wash them we scrub the inside with salt. As you scrub the salt will turn gray from the aluminum oxide. It make the pan smooth and shiny, it also helps to keep food from sticking.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it Richard. That's a great tip on using salt! Thanks for watching

[@NolaGB]

Very interesting,. Thank you ... going to try this!

[@bikerjon8934]

I use rock salt (no soap) to clean my seasoned cast iron cookware

[@ACountryWayOfLife]

Some people say they want Morgan Freeman to narrarate their lives. I want David Pearson.

[@albertopompilio1]

lol!!!!

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

LOL! Thanks brother!

[@ACountryWayOfLife]

Reallybigmonkey1 lol

[@ACountryWayOfLife]

Reallybigmonkey1 where is that sexy green shirt?

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

In Nicks closet, he stole it from me!

[@evelyngorfram9306]

Some way-late thoughts from a metallurgist: Cast metals can have more microscopic-sized porous than metals formed by other processes, especially if the casting quality is low. Stamped metals tend to have comparatively fine grain sizes and high strength, especially near the surface of the workpiece. This means that your stamped aluminum pieces could likely take and keep a much higher polish than that poor old cast pot. While the cast pot was probably nicely polished when sold, my guess is that that polish broke down over the years. The loss of polish would have exposed any underlying porosity; which would have allowed the aluminum to corrode more easily, and to become contaminated by whatever substances were heated in the pot. tl;dr: I wouldn't use that pot either.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thank you for that explanation Evelyn!

[@tikkidaddy]

Yeah...that's what I was thinking...you said it way better than I could have...😍

[@america1403]

what about cast iron pans? are they bad to use as well? they all seem a bit porous

[@evelyngorfram9306]

@@america1403 Cast iron is somewhat porous, but has different casting properties that generally result in higher quality castings than with aluminum. Also, AFAIK, ingestion of iron is not associated with any toxic effects in the human body.

[@america1403]

@@evelyngorfram9306 thank you... i love my cast iron pan

[@sallysavage3879]

You know, it makes total sense to me that the cast aluminum was the one that leached. When we use cast iron, it leaches too, but it leaches beneficial iron. The cast aluminum, not so much! Thanks for taking the time to do this experiment. That was a lot of dishes/cleanup you had to do after doing this video!

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Yep, and both are cast. I guess any thing cast has pores that open up during heating. They contract when cooling trapping all kinds of stuff. Thanks for watching Sally

[@kenhughes4715]

This is a real eye opener. Good information. It’s ashamed that nice big pot failed the test. I’m only using stainless from now on. Thank you for posting, ken

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

I'm glad you liked it Ken. I've always preferred stainless myself even before this test

[@MrRahimhosein]

Just use cast iron. Strong better and good for you

[@tenshi1160]

Every time you upload a video it just puts a huge fat smile on my face :)

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Great to hear that!

[@johnlord8337]

Good reason for the pink pots and using them for laundry washing, as the aluminum is also its own antibiotic properties - so keep clothes washed and treated.

[@stilcrazychris]

Great information. Yes, the cast pot was a different color. I would also think that the food would taste different bc you was saying & making NASTY faces.. lol.. This was a good test. When it's warmer I'm going to do the same test to my pots. I mostly don't want to eat toxic food. From the bottom of my heart I thank you so much for teaching me something I had no ideal about, or even thinking about it. Thanks David for opening my eyes on something very important, Chris

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks Chris, I'm glad you liked it and glad to hear it was an eye opener. A lot of folks don't know this stuff. Most pots will pass the test but the ones that wont need to be wall ornaments! Thanks for watching and take care Chris

[@earlschultz7880]

Hey Dave, thanks for this video, very helpful and safety minded. One question tho, can you just buff the inside of that cast pot to renew it? We have bought some old pots like that for a bug-out purpose and now we are left to wonder what to do. We will give it the test first. Thanks again! Great test video, we love watching them!

[@kenkozma9894]

Earl Schultz Or purge it through many boiling cycles until the applesauce is safe.

[@earlschultz7880]

Thanks. Would you have to fill the who pot, or just the bottom?

[@kenkozma9894]

Earl Schultz I would fill the pot with water for the boiling. Then check it with applesauce after the 3rd or 4th boil, and hope for the best. OR you could just fill it with applesauce then boil it.(ha, not really) Of course, changing the water after each boil. Probably using distilled water to boil.

[@fredthorne9692]

Thanks for this valuable tip. I have a lot of Aluminum cook wear and when I became aware of toxicity, I was concerned. I'm going to give this method a try. Happy New Year!

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

You are very welcome Fred. Test em when you can and have a Happy New year my friend!

[@mattlilly2303]

I remember my grandmother telling me never to use old cast aluminium pots as she said they may have lead in them. Especially post WW2 pots. I've stuck with that advice. As usual mate you've provided a good way to help out. I've never had a problem with stamped aluminium so far but I have replaced all cookware with stainless steel. Hey merry Christmas and happy new year buddy. All the best to you and yours mate.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Your Grandmother was very wise ! Have a Happy New year Matt

[@bigal2696]

This was SO informative! I have often wondered about the dangers of aluminum cookware. Thank you for taking the time to produce this video

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

I'm glad you liked it AL!

[@conniemooreloman3573]

I have two cast aluminum pans from my grandmother that looks like yours except are oval. We use them during the holidays for turkey/dressing because the one is big enough to cook a turkey in. I’m going to try this applesauce test because I was cleaning my cupboards it came to me that those pots might be toxic. I wasn’t sure how to find out, so I searched on KZbin and came up with your video. I could definitely tell a difference in the applesauce, so I will not use these pots until I test them. Thanks for your help!

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

I'm happy to hear the video helped Connie!

[@emarge52]

Very helpful! I have old aluminum cookware that was in the family since the early 1950s, and definitely think I should test them. I will get rid of them anyway, but at least this test will verify how concerned I should be from using them occasionally. People need more information and warnings about this! I look forward to seeing more videos! (I am wondering about the safety of your breathing fumes from the toxic applesauce too. Be careful!)

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it and it will definitely be very interesting to see what your old cookware does! Thanks for watching

[@MyWorldInDisorder]

Pretty cool test there and there's definitely something up with that cast pot. The color change was very obvious. Like you said, finding out your cookware is toxic is bad however I think finding out sooner than later is definitely for the best. Thanks for the video, always enjoy them. Take care Dave!

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks Brother, I'm glad you liked it. Yep, quite a color difference. Not sure why it happened but it's enough to keep me from using that pot! Thanks for watching my friend

[@jctedsap]

My late Brother used to work in an aluminum reduction facility. He called the ore that they processed alumini. The process involved about a million amps at 9 volt going through a line of pots a mile long. I forget how many lines they had but the power consumption was supposed to be equivalent to half of Portland Oregon. This was the plant outside of Goldendale Washington that got shut down after Russia dumped all the aluminum on the market when the USSR ended.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks for sharing that John. Very interesting, I've never heard anything like that.

[@richschwartz8004]

After watching this one is had to go try my old pots and pans too. The stamped ones had no reaction. While all of my cast stuff had a similar reaction as yours. My cast stuff belonged to my grandmother and I know for certain the only thing it was ever used for was food. Thanks so much for bringing this to my attention. God bless and stay safe.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Good to hear you used this test Rich. Maybe it wasn't misuse and was just a bad alloy? Thanks for watching and may God bless you too

[@user-ts1fp4nm9y]

How old was Grandma when she croaked?

[@1.forestrunner]

Changed to stainless and took cooking classes years ago...now I like my cooking. Stainless steel has a higher density, higher melting point, lower temperature expansion than aluminum...which makes it the better choice for cookware. Price and weight is close enough for me that I do not even consider them. Some people still smoke, use old plastic canteens made with BPA...we are all old enough. Dave....Happy New Year! Keep up the good work.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

90% of my camp gear is stainless steel. Happy New year to you too my friend!

[@nealgrey6485]

This was good. If you were to again put applesauce in the cast aluminum Dutch oven, would it again turn pink? Or would the applesauce have stripped out the toxic material? Whisked it away, so to speak?

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

I have no idea. I only did it once. Good thought to try again

[@michaelmeyers4950]

Very informative, thanks Dave! Did you ever consider doing a "These are the three knots I use when I'm out"?

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. I figured there's already about a thousand videos on knots so I never did one. If I could do one on knots in actual use? That might be interesting

[@michaelmeyers4950]

@@Reallybigmonkey1- Yeah, that's what I had in mind. There are millions of videos on knots but who really walks in the woods with "the perfect 37 knots for all situations" :D Ridicolous :D A video actually showing the knots you really use and in use. Would be interesting. Because I really am not a rope/ knot person and I'd be curious to see if your way of explaining might convert me into one :D Keep it up! Oh and by the way: you and Nick are stars from the south. Why don't you have diamond grills in your moufs? :D JK :)

[@pjcolella8190]

I had read about aluminum toxicity as a Boy Scout so I put away my BSA mess kit, bought small stainless pots and pans at a restaurant supply store and made my own. I found a small sack at an army surplus store to carry it. This was in the 1950s

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

That was some clever thinking!

[@TheRunereaper]

Well this is a thought-provoking video. I've never heard of the apple crumble test before but it will make me look into it. My wife has an old pot from her Great Granny just like your cast pot. It was used for boiling clothes, so maybe if yours was used the same way, it would be the sodium carbonate that makes it smell bad? Whatever, good video again David and hope you all have a peaceful and prosperous New Year. Paul

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. Well now on most tests, the applesauce just turns a color. That bad smell is kinda rare so Im not sure what happened. Thanks for watching and I hope you have a happy 2018!

[@texxos57]

You are a genius! You found a use for apple sauce!! Supposedly potatoes will turn gray in aluminum. Thanks for the video!

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks Tex! Hmmm, now I gotta test the potato trick

[@texxos57]

I don't know if it's true, but the apple sauce worked! You are very informative and entertaining and I always look forward to your videos.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Oh it definitely worked on this test!

[@danielm9062]

they do and scrambled eggs will turn green if keep in the pot I ate a lot of those eggs in the army

[@aprila417]

I tried this on 2 pans I got today and they didn't change!!!! I was happy but I've got one more pan that was my grandmas to check!!! Thank you so much for your help!!!

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Great to hear they were ok!

[@jerrypropstjr8742]

Hey Brother Dave ! Its Jerry from Fort Mill SC ! Yea I'm still alive ! Happy New Year Man ! I'm sorry I still haven't got your stuff sent to you ! I wanted it to be there for Christmas but we have had so much to go wrong in the past 2 months it has just been a mess ! Mostly with my Moms Parkinson's ! As well our computer went out and I haven't been able to retrieve your address . Its in the shop now so I will get back to you soon so I can get this stuff to you ! One item in particular involves some really good reflectix material that I know you can use on these cold nights camping (if you get to go) ! Great Videos by the way ! I have one of those big cast pots like that I bought at yard sale ! I Wil be testing it for sure ! Thanks for everything you do Bro it really helps this disabled old man to have some quality time watching the tube ! God Bless Brother !

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Hello Brother Jerry! Happy New year to you too and it's great hearing from you again man. Send me stuff any time you want or can and I'll be very happy to get it! I hope to do some cold weather camping. What's bad is our annual mill shutdown lasts ALL of February. That's 12 hours a day for over 30 days straight. I'll have no daylight for a month! Take care and may God bless you Brother!

[@MerAngel12121]

Thank you, Dave. A much needed video, since so many people still use old camping pots they dug out of their attic, that were previously cooked in by past generations of camping and hunting trips. One thing for sure, any of those cast aluminum pots that were used for cooking tomatoes for sauces or canning them will erode the metal and with each stir of the sauce, scraping the bottom of the pot will compromise the metal, because of the strong acidity present in tomatoes. The same for coffee acidity and aluminum. I actually clean my copper bottomed pots by slathering tomato sauce or ketchup on them. Learned about this as a teenager when my pot of spaghetti sauce overflowed and when I cleaned it the next morning the areas on the pot where the sauce dripped were shiny and new looking.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

You are very welcome and I'm glad you liked it. Yep, folks need to test their pots before use. I hear ya on the tomatoes. I have actually used them to clear foggy headlight covers on cars! Thanks for watching

[@gray5627]

Interesting experiment! I'm not surprised by the color change in the cast pot; if it was sand cast, the pot would have a more porous surface by virtue of the manufacturing process.. I switched to stainless steel a long time ago, and I believe I will stick with it. I really like your fire pit, and the cat totally rocks! Thanks for sharing!! :-)

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it all. Actually, 90% of my camp gear is stainless steel. Thanks for watching

[@Shooter11B]

What an awesome tip David! Thanks. Another way to check if the aluminum is still good to use is by looking at the surface of the cooking area. IF it is corroded and specifically PITTED it is no good to use anymore. I did a lot of research a few years ago on the dangers of using aluminum to cook, and the general consensus was that it is OK as long as there is no pitting and corrosion. That cast pot was clearly corroded and pitted, and the stamped pots were nice and smooth, so it seems to verify the information I found as well. Now, I believe it would be possible to repair the cast pot if the corroded and pitted areas could be ground down and polished smooth.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks! I'm glad you liked it Steven. That's some good information. I had heard that just cleaning wasn't enough that it needs a high polish.

[@SurvivalRussia]

Awesome :) Great test and results. I guess that apple sauce is just mashed apples basically?

[@1LRLRG]

Basically yes, some add a little sugar or some spices as well.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks brother! Yes, just crushed apples and some sugar. No other chemicals.

[@sosteve9113]

It's really great to put some cinnamon in the apple saus

[@Eric-ew8jt]

Lars my friend nice too see you over here

[@johndifrancisco3642]

Most people peel and core the apples before mashing.

[@conradheinlein5509]

In the large pot that turned pink indicating toxicity ypu can still boil water and cook in aluminum foil inside of a plastic bag. The key is to not let the food get in direct contact with the pot. Boil vinegar until you can detox the pot. Vinegar and soda should finish the detox after cleaning it. After that use iodized salt to wash your pot after seasoning it with flaxseed oil. Preseason every time you use the pot. Use salt and water paste to clean it every time you use it. Burning. Charcoal in it will detox it in extreme cases. Oven cleaner in it covered with a garbage bag with take out baked in stains. Detox after that.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks for the info Conrad

[@outdoorsmansgarage]

That cat is relentless man....lol That was a really good test thanks for doing this video David Know I know how to test my aluminum cooksets

James McIntyre try fireball! Lolz

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Lol, man I edited out another five minutes of that cat getting in my way. Thanks for watching James!

[@furkids4ever]

@@Reallybigmonkey1 should have left it in!

[@delb0y1967]

Man you are fast becoming one of my fave YT channels, I find your accent soothing and fascinating and I am learning so much from your vids, bloody awesomeness right here David ! Cheers from the UK Del PS Nice to hear an American at least say AL-U-MINIUM (once) lol that's the first time ever haha

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks Del! I'm happy you like my channel so much. Honestly, me being southern I can't pronounce aluminum the American way, but I can the English way! Thanks for watching my friend

[@geezerdude4873]

A lot of aluminum pots back in the day actually had quite a bit of lead in them to make them cheaper to machine. Lead was also used by many makers of cheaper pots to make them easier to stamp and draw into shape. So the old thick lead machined pots should be discarded immediately! The older drawn or stamped pots are probably safer if they have seen a lot of use (you already got any lead out of them), but I would not let kids around any aluminum pot over maybe 25 years old--I think they took the lead out of aluminum pots the same time they took the lead out of gasoline--mid-1980's. I won't go into the debate over aluminum, but it probably is not that big of a deal (but I can hear somebody getting ready to scream at me for that statement). If you are just boiling water, like most bushcrafters would use the pot for, I would not worry, period, especially if the pot is anodized like the Kohansky pot is.

[@sosteve9113]

geezerdude very interesting info,but Imho the lead out of gasoline was causing the biggest harm I'm looking for the mors pot several years now,I think its a great pot Do you own one,and do you like using it? Steve

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Very good information! The added lead makes sense!

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Steve I have a coated Mors pot from four dog stove company and I LOVE it!

[@mackenziedrake]

I wonder what results you'd get if you do a lead test on that heavy pot?

[@52rhflight56]

Geezerdude: It depends where the pots are made. If the pots were imported, and most today are, then there is a likelihood that even new pots can have high lead content; see article on 2014 study: news.ashland.edu/article/ashland-university-involved-research-showing-lead-released-african-cookware-contaminates While lead is added to some aluminum alloys for purposes of machineability, the majority of lead in foreign cookware is because of the recycled mixed scrap metal used to make the pots.

[@TheWtfnonamez]

Great video and a great alert about leaching from metal pots. I first heard about this when I discovered that some "stainless steel" pots made in China ended up on shelves in the US and they turned out to be "stainless steel with a healthy dose of pot metal including lead". I eventually adopted the following strategy based a little knowledge about metal work and cast iron pans... all learned from youtube channels like your fine self. 1. I dont assume any metal pot or pan is 100% safe 2. Unless its a premium stainless steel from a very reputable supplier....I season it. I learned this from seasoning cast iron pans but it works on aluminium too (albeit slower and more difficult) .... when I get new alluminium pots and pans for camping, I always wash them, scrub them, scrub them again with a very fine sanding sponge, then wash them again a few times. Then I season them with Trex or some other vegetable based fat bar, several times. That way, just like cast iron pans, you are cooking on the patina, and its your food versus the coating, not your food versus the metal and whatever its leaching. The funny thing is that this problem is really a problem of the modern age... because we have water and detergent on hand and in abundance. Nobody used to scrub their pans back to the metal in the old days. I had to train myself to cook with cast iron and aluminium pans, and NOT scrub them clean.... remove the food debris, remove the crap... leave the patina. Thanks for the video mate. People need to be reminded that crap leaches into their food from the tools they use to cook it.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

I'm glad you liked the video and thanks for the comments! That's very wise advice to season all the new cookware you use. Thanks for watching brother

[@cantabhiker3285]

Dave, You got a lotta pot there. Is that legal in Georgia? I know, it's medicinal! Nice testing! I gotta try it out on my aluminum stuff. Take care and have a happy New Year.

Cantab Hiker that one pot will fit on his head... Lolz

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

LOL! Happy New year to you too!

[@lukedupont6238]

I always learn so much from your channel! I initially avoided Aluminium, but now I've come to prefer it: Stainless and Titanium burn food, whereas Aluminium cooks it evenly. On top of that, it's nearly as light as Titanium and doesn't cost nearly as much. Now I know how to test if old vintage stuff I might find is safe or not!

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Great to hear that Luke! I think the newer aluminum is safe. The newest stuff is stamped. Older stuff is cast or poured which aint good at all.

[@GODANMEDIA]

wow this is a huge lesson in testing old pots and living healthier. thank you !

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Yes it is Brother!

[@sheilam4964]

My Mom had a cast aluminium set of pots back in the 50's and it was well known then that cooking high acidic foods like tomatoes/applesauce/fruit would 'EAT AWAY' (the expression used at the time) the aluminium and leave pock marks (mini holes) in it and turn it dark grey. To clean up that staining just cook/boil potatoes in it and it will whiten up again and look as good as new but still have the pock marks from the acidic foods that had been cooked in it. So since I was there and saw first hand I can say this is all true. Your test is just demonstrating how much aluminium is in the pot. The darker the colour change the more aluminium the pot contains. If there is no colour change there isn't much aluminium in it. Pure aluminium will melt from the heat of a camp fire. We did this test in Science class in grade 8.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Very interesting information Sheila! Thanks for sharing that.

[@TACHILL]

It was a pretty substantial difference in color. So would you steer clear of cast all together? I dont have any cast but my sister has an old one like the one you showed n now im interested in trying it. Great video as always bro

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

After this? Yes. No more cast at all for me. And honestly 90% of my gear is stainless anyway. I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for watching

[@1wolfpup]

Really helpful video. Thanks for sharing this. Knowing if your cookware is toxic is important. The smell being bad along with the color change was really interesting.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks Shannon, I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for watching

[@richardstone5241]

GOOD INFORMATION! I USE STAINLESS IN MY PACK AND CAST IRON AT THE CAMP.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks Richard. About 90% of the time I use stainless steel for camping

[@jimbojet8728]

I stopped using Aluminium pots when I left the army 1985. Of course, as you are aware most Army mess kits were made of Aluminium way back in time and for at least a couple of hundred years, I think ! Alu isn’t all that easy to take care of in the field, but was issued and therefore all we had. Nowadays, I must confess to being a Titanium user. It’s the lightest and most efficient cookwear I know of for bikepacking and hiking, where prime consideration is on weight. My alu gear doesn’t get used anymore, it is destined for the bin! Thank you for sharing with us Dave, another informative vid.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Aluminum is tough to care for and keep clean. Actually, right now 90% of my camp gear is stainless steel. I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for watching

[@hopeboman5265]

Good test on the cookware. Yep..that apple sauce in the cast aluminum was a pretty pink. Not yellow like the rest of the apple sauce. Thanks for that video. Very interesting.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks Hope, I'm glad you liked it. Yep, pink enough I aint using it anymore. Thanks for watching

[@michelestellar7725]

What I know about aluminum cookware. When my mom cooked (boiled) potatoes in hers it blackened the inside. Heloise advised to make tomato sauce in the pot to make the black 'disappear'. My mom bought me a set which I NEVER used. Witnessing what went on with hers made me suspicious.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

I'm not sure about stamped aluminum but I'd definitely steer clear of any cast aluminum. Thanks for watching Michele

[@ronhart8857]

Great find Dave, people say aluminum can cause memory lost in early years! Great way to test cookware! (( excellent test!!!!!))) now you can use the cast aluminum pot for motor oil!

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks Ronald! I'm glad you liked it

[@josephsylvester6102]

Thanks for the great info. I'm gonna check my old gear, you're the first person that's given any kind of testing. All ya ever hear is aluminum is bad. Most of my gear is stuff from when I was younger. 40 years old, give or take. You Rock bro. Semper Fi

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks Joseph and you are so right, pretty much all the information out there is just it's bad. Test yours when you can brother

[@josephsylvester6102]

Reallybigmonkey1 thanks, I'll pass it on . Semper Fi

[@georgesweap7]

Again great information. I always thought the discolor was oxidation. The acidity in the apple sauce must cause a reaction when heated. I have an old cast aluminum pressure cooker dating back to 1945. I think it is probably wise to check it with this method. Dave, Thanks for another interesting video. I enjoy your knowledge sharing! Tom Broome

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks Tom, I'm glad you liked it. They say it's the malic and ascorbic acids in the apples that react with the aluminum

[@jilllogan1288]

Hi Dave Happy New Year! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas. This was a great vid!. I have been hesitant to buy older cookware because I wasn't sure it would be safe to use, this is a great way to test it. I have learned so much from you this past year and I am looking forward to next year. It''s been really cold barely above zero her for almost a week, anyway stay warm and enjoy the new year to come!

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Happy New year to you Jill! We had a pretty good Christmas round here. I try to not buy any vintage aluminum cookware but I wound up with a lot of it from past times. I'm glad you liked and learned from what all Ive done. Thanks for watching

[@CarolinaChrisOutdoors]

Good experiment Dave. I'd be curious to know if the acidic properties of the apple sauce actually "cleaned" the bottom of the cast pot. When you cleaned out the pots, did you notice any variations in the color vs. what it was prior to the experiment, especially with the cast one? Just wondering...HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! ---Chris

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks Chris, I'm glad you liked it. Well they claim that if a pot is dirty soiled or tainted, it can eventually be cleaned out. If its an old leaded alloy pot then it will always turn applesauce pink! Thanks for watching and a Happy new year to you too!

[@1kzrider]

I was wondering same. Growing up as kid i learned you can use ketchup on bathtubs get the dirty ring off. So yea i do wonder if it could be saved. But, honesty after all replies i. Here and this vid. I dont expecr using aluminum for cooking anytime soon.

[@willynthepoorboys2]

Yeah, I would not want to use the big kettle for food anymore but it is still useful for non-food related service like melting wax or as a container for oil for whetstones or any number of non-food jobs.Great video I definitely learned something new for this. Thanks Dave.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Now those are good ideas! I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for watching

[@psc7949]

Thanks yet again Dave! I have always wondered/worried about this. Incredibky useful video making. Cheers!

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

You are very welcome my friend and thanks for watching

[@caroljohnson1588]

Thanks Dave. I purchased this same pot from a flea market several years ago. After washing it and letting It simmer for a long period of time over a low flame it had a film on the surface of the water. I love the pot but I was afraid to use it and never did. I’m going to try the applesauce test but I don’t have a very good feeling about it. At least I can put it to another safe use or either get rid of it.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

That's another good test right there! Just let clean water simmer and if it has a sheen then don't use it. Thanks for watching Carol

[@fireboxstove]

Very interesting! Thank you for sharing!

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks! I'm happy you liked it

[@SamwiseDuderino]

I have a 1955 Regal Ware 5 tier camp set, stamped aluminum, that I use regularly. Got it for free from someone who only used it to store cookies... I dont cook over open flame with the pans, so much as warm over coals. Pretty much everything I need (minus my wok) for a perfect kitchen fits in this set. I have a collapsible silicone/steel bottom cooking pot for boiling water that fits perfectly in the bottom pan. For shit n giggles, I tried this test after watching your vid and thankfully, my wife and I enjoyed some warm applesauce!

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Oh if it only stored cookies it should be good to go! Thanks for watching

[@Waldhandwerk]

Hi David! Thanks for the video. A Dr of? Chemie once told me it was a misstake, a wrong messurement in the 60s with to much alu, similar to much iron in spinat? I changed to stainless becaue i got tired of all the alzheimer comments. Since i use stainless cups i could easy forget them :) Happy New Year! Sepp

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Hello Sepp! All I know is if the cookware passes this test it should be fine. Most cookware will but few will fail. I personally use stainless steel fo 90% of my camping. I do love these old vintage collections. Take care and as always thanks for watching Brother Sepp!

[@gena141]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/m4WknJhsnadsedU

[@MrMatthewcropley]

WOW! another awesome vid by Dave! very educational, and good to know, sad that you had one that went pinkish, lost your cast pot but better than ingesting whatever is in it that did that to the sauce. Yes, you can really see the difference on the video. Thanks Dave, cant wait to see the next one.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. Yeah I hated to see that pot be bad. Better safe then sorry I guess. Thanks for watching

[@petemcpherson2259]

maybe the cast is more porous than the stamped so it absorbs more of whatever was cooked in it?

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Could be. I don't know if its the porous cast nature of it or just the age?

[@WayPointSurvival]

Wow. I had heard that aluminum sometimes had a negative reaction with some wild leafy edibles etc. Now, I know for sure. Thanks for teaching us this. Very helpful and informative. Subbed.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Some of the older stuff can be really bad. Thanks for watching and thanks for the sub!

[@TheArkousin]

I checked mine out, it was good & so was the applesauce. My mom made applesauce from scratch, this reminded me of her applesauce.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

That's great to hear Roy!

[@flyingbeaver57]

I'd be curious to see what that big cast kettle was like after being boiled out with vinegar and water, and then polished inside. I can't help but wonder what might have been cooked in that cast stew pot before you tested it. There was a whole line of camping pot sets that were made in the U.K. post WWII with scrap aircraft aluminum alloy, produced by stamping with dies in a press (I think they used a succession of dies to get the completed shape of each pot, as is done with soda pot cans. One trade name here for the British camping sets was "Bulldog" - there were others. They were harder (didn't deform as easily) than some "soft" aluminum cake pans, and they did not develop porosity on the inside surfaces. I used those in the bush for many, many years, and they still clean up nicely. No porosity or significant discoloration. How true the story about aircraft aluminum alloy is I'm not sure, but whatever those were made of, they were very tough and not porous.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thank you for sharing that! Very interesting

[@mrchin7562]

I'd turn that cast pot into a fire bowl. ;D Did you ever try to polish and retest the thing?

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Nope, never polished it. I think as thick as it is it'll make a good fire bowl

[@FnLn55]

@@Reallybigmonkey1 ... Consider a 1/4" drain hole, so nobody mistakes it for cookware. Another great video! Thanks!

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

@@FnLn55 good thinking!

[@Mr.Unacceptable]

Many companies make their copper pots with a core of aluminum by Electroplating. Makes copper pots cheaper and lighter. It's a fairly easy prosses to do if you want to save old aluminum pots. You can also use Anodization to stop the leaching of oxides. You can fill any pits and cracks with a lead-free high heat tin solder or silver solder. That stew pot is unique enough to give it a try. Instead of scrubbing them to try and clean off the oxides get some TSP, gloves and a scotch bright pad. The TSP will eat a layer or two. You will need to do this any way to electroplate it. You can buy the copper electroplate solution and use a copper scrubbing pad as electrodes to transfer more copper to the pot. Easy search how to on KZbin. If you really want to make sure it's covered and inert you can get the gold or silver electroplate coating and just do the inside of the pot after the copper coat.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks for that info Joe

[@Mr.Unacceptable]

You're Welcome. I have repaired many different kettles this way. I always grab them whenever I see the right ones in second-hand shops. Some kettles get very ornate. It's easy to sell them once copper coated and polished.

[@KnifeCrazzzzy]

Interesting experiment, thanks for sharing. And love the cat! Always good to have a mascot! 🤙🏻

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

I'm glad you liked it and the cat! Thanks for watching

[@StevanOutdoor]

Great test and love the cat! In my days in the military we were issued aluminium mess tins but they were more used as a plate for the food or to warm up MRE's and not to actually cook with. Still the scraping of the stainless cutlery left some marks so it's possible it did scrape of some of the aluminium. I had a camping cooking set for private use made of aluminium also. I changed to stainless both at home (and never use tin foil) and in the outdoors. At some point the military changed to stainless mess tins also so now I have these. I do have some titanium pots but I still prefer the stainless steel ones. I will deal with the extra weight but bring less, rather than bring an abundance of aluminium pots. And the test did work. The color difference was very obvious.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks for the input brother! I'm more of a stainless steel guy myself. I'm guessing aluminum scrapings would be m minimal? Thanks for watching

[@thejasonbischoff]

Another great video! I really like your cool cat and your fire box.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it all. Thanks for watching

[@CBRN-Fan-Boy]

If there is toxicity, what are the side effects or issues? Is it temporary or Permanent? This just raises more questions.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

I have no idea what the extent of it is. High levels of aluminum in the bloodstream is bad but I'm not really sure of what other toxic elements could be in cast aluminum

[@thelonelybushcrafter8013]

Why not try progressively sand the inside of the cast pan to remove the bad part. Polish it and try again. Love your videos !!

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

I believe I will polish it and retest Paul

[@GaryESims]

I had a big favorite pot exactly like the cast one you have with the knub on it. My wife threw it away. I won't complain of the loss anymore. Also I won't show her this video, might be harder to live with her " I told you so". Thank you for this info. You did it again!

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks Gary. Lol, no don't show her this video!

[@17025601]

Your beautiful cat loves to be with you and to HELP!

[@suzisaintjames]

GizmoBee1702, didn't you love it when he showed us the two types of cat tails? xoxo from Arizona

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Oh yes, it's Daves little helper. Lol

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

LOL

[@sipapito]

Holy moly you got so much equipment that I could only dream of, Happy New Year! and thank you for all that you do for the youtube community.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

LOL, I got piles of camping junk y'all haven't even seen! Thanks for watching and a happy new year to you too!

[@munchh2007]

This is a really easy thing to do. I buy so much old stuff from bootsales (flea markets), thanks for saving our brains 😉

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

It's so easy there's no reason to not do it. Thanks for watching!

[@HanaleiSurfrider1]

Ha! We Polynesians baked / steamed in underground ovens wrapping our food to be cooked in Ti and Coconut palm leaves. The same process is used in many countries around the world today using there own cooking methods. Thank you for another informative video, Dave. Just trying to "stir the pot" up a wee bit. Happy New Year to ya!! 😎

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

I bet theres not much healthier than steaming in natural leaves! Thanks for watching and a Happy New year to you too!

[@WiltshireMan]

Maybe it's time to switch to Stainless steeluMINEEUM...:)

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

I love my vintage pots but most of my camp cooking is done with stainless

[@MrOldclunker]

Not all stainless is equal and can leach heavy metals as well.

[@captnaidy6122]

LoL Sandy PEACE :-)

[@MaffTUK]

Easy for Dave to say LOL

[@JepsOutdoorAdventures]

Or, cast iron. The saying should be: 'it's worth it's weight in cast iron'.

[@johnmeyers541]

Another great video, Dave. This is a subject I never considered before. I have a Korean War vintage GI mess kit and a Boy Scout cook kit from the same era. I will be testing them to see what results I will have. Thanks for bringing all this to my attention. I really love your videos. Keep them coming. Happy New Year to you and Nick and the rest of your family. God Bless.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. Test em when you can, no telling if they will pass or not. Thanks for watching, Have a happy 2018 and may God bless you too!

[@lorettacampidonica8898]

THANKYOU SO MUCH🥰I will be testing my Mom's turkey pan..and also passing on this information. Alzheimer's unfortunately runs in our family. ..and aluminum has Definitely been found in to contribute to this Horrible Disease. I have been a health care provider for many years and part of an agency that helped report data for Alzheimer's research in the 90's. The link between aluminum and Alzheimer's is true. Thanks again!

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

You are very welcome Loretta and thanks for the comments!

[@leeburwood3073]

Another great vid Dave. Wow I’m shocked at the results and I’ve never heard of that test before. I’ve got some old saucepans in the house, I’m definitely going to try those. Keep up the great vids when ever you can

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks Lee, I'm glad you liked it. This test has been around for years. Not many folks talk about it tho. Thanks for watching

[@FelixImmler]

Hello Dave. Thank you for this very interesting video! I will test my aluminum pans with applesauce...i'm looking forward to the result. I wish you a fantastic start to 2018. Greets from Switzerland Felix

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

You are very welcome and I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for watching and you have a great 2018 too Felix!

[@beeteh2000]

Love your teaching and testing. I have I am not sure if they are aluminium wok, pots and pans. I is very old. I would like to send you a picture and maybe you are able to tell me or point me in the right direction.Thank you. Pity about the big pot turning pink

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks, I'm glad you like the way I do things. If it's non magnetic and a butter knife will scratch it then it's aluminium

[@mylennyuym]

Great video Dave, I have a large pot looks like your 'bad one', made by Club Aluminum, I never cook with it but it makes an EXCELLENT lead melting pot for making sinkers, bullets etc. !!!!

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. Mine may just be a club then! Thanks for watching

[@marciannanderson5075]

Thanks for showing us how to test aluminium pots! I’ve always been nervous about using them but now I know what to do.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

You are very welcome Marci, time for testing!

[@billhowes5871]

Hey! Here's a "Tip" I just thought of. To clean an old pot let "White vinegar" sit inside of an old pot for a couple of weeks. (Coat the entire surface). I just revived an old flashlight using this idea. "Vinegar" is a mild acid. I've invented two World Class inventions that damn near made me a multi-millionaire. (No joke). PS: I'm confident that "Pot" is "Shot". However. As an inventor I'd retry your test. If there's any improvement in color or smell. Keep repeating. Like you, I like to "Play" around with things. (Think it's time for a new pot in this case.)

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Good idea Bill!

[@karennissen2934]

I am so glad you did this , because I knew that the old aluminum was bad to cook with....but I didn't know how to test it. So thank you!!!

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

You are very welcome Karen! Pay closer attention to testing the cast aluminum. None of my stamped aluminum was bad

[@constantcomment1954]

Thanks and Happy New Year!!

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

And a Happy New year to you too Connie!

[@MIKESWILDWORLD]

I season my aluminum fry pan and believe that makes it okay to use for certain foods or water. If I use an unseasoned pan to fry eggs with butter I can actually see the aluminum rust come off in the eggs. And this is a very clean pan when I use it. I appreciate you doing this video to demonstrate the effect. I don’t know if aluminum causes mental health issues but considering the cost if it does I’m just going to use my seasoned carbon steel. Anything to excess can become a problem. Thanks!

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

I'd think if one had a thick enough coating seasoned on it should be safe? Thanks for the comments and thanks for watching Mike

[@MIKESWILDWORLD]

@@Reallybigmonkey1 I totally agree!

[@PatrickBoening]

If I understood it right, Aluminum (Aluminium) is a so called soft metal and releases particles in to the food when heated...and therefore in to your body. BTW...Alzheimer's, according to research is also caused by eating soy products (together with impotence). I still own a aluminum canteen and matching cup....but I will replace that with a stainless steal one...if I will remember. LOL (Have a good one David!)

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Very interesting Patrick and I never knew that about soy! Thanks for watching

[@jrockerh]

Phytoestrogens are FAR less effective than the bovine estrogen found in dairy and beef. The Japanese have a diet very high in soy and studies don't show the problems people claim.

[@jrockerh]

Also i picked up some aluminum kits and I'm very resistant to use them. Probably going to just scrap them

[@guydevries3049]

To remove interior discoloration, fill the pan with water, add 1 tablespoon cream of tartar or 1 tablespoon lemon juice per quart of water, and simmer until the discoloration is gone. Complete the process by scouring the pan with a steel-wool soap pad. Caution: Wear rubber gloves. Finish by neutralizing with paste of backing soda and water. You actually get more dissolved aluminum from taking and anti-acid tablet than eating food from aluminum cookware.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks for that info

[@daveedwards6567]

Hi Dave thanks for the video most inlightening good job mate big thanks

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Hello Dave and I'm glad you liked it brother

[@angiecardwell9430]

That is amazing !!!! I'm so glad you tested the pots and showed how the one turned color. Toy could have just saved someone's life.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Thanks Angie! The final outcome kinda surprised me!

[@thaddeusmikolajczyk9055]

Really useful I always wandered about World War 2 cookware I have and used since I was a kid I need to test thank you Happy New Year. I also need to head out into the woods been very busy God Bless.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

If its from the 40s 50s or 60s, ya need to test it. Thanks for watching and may God bless you too

[@youkidin1]

I am colour blind but i did see the difference when you poured the sauce into that cast pot . Good that it gives of a smell also Looks like there will be a lot if discussion over this for sometime to come . I hope you had a good Christmas . Have a very Happy and Healthy New Year Dave

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

So far theres been a lot of discussions and arguing. LOL. I had a good Christmas and I hope you have a happy 2018!

[@Traderjoe]

Dave, just out of curiosity. If you chucked that old cast aluminum pot in the lathe and buffed it out and polished it so it was like a mirror and then re-did this test, I have a feeling that it wouldnt change color, because all the oxides would be off it and the pitting would be gone.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Several people mentioned I should polish it and retest. I may do that

[@jenniferbauman4802]

Oh that's the way right there. Clean that real good. Great video. Do you know if we can season our aluminum cook wear. And can we see a video on it. Thanks Dave. God bless. From Glenn CATT in Massachusetts.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Yes, aluminum cookware can definitely be seasoned. I found this out recently but haven't tried it yet

[@davec.3129]

Both my parents had/have Alzheimer's (My father has gone to be with the Lord and I'm caring for my mother now) so I'm not risking it. I will use it to store birdseed or something. Thank you for sharing. God bless

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

My Uncle Jerry had it too. Terrible way to go. Thanks for watching Dave and may God bless you too brother

[@davec.3129]

@@Reallybigmonkey1 You're welcome! Yeah it really is. So weird how it's a relatively new thing too... Much appreciated brother

[@LVSpeedweLL]

Dramatic color change- even if that's not a clue, always trust your sense of smell to keep you safe from bad foods. I remember my Grandmother saying cast iron was better for you and the food tastes better. Acidic food like tomatoes or applesauce would pull the metal into itself, so why take a chance. Glad you're not cooking in it. Thanks for another important video. Hebert help ya with the washing up of pots? :) Hey David, excited to let ya to know my mini Duku arrived today, beautiful craftsmanship. I now have a bit of leather-work to do; extending the belt loop so the handle doesn't stick in my side. We got snow tonight for the Winter Solstice, could be good time to sew. My other exciting knife report: our local community college is offering a Bushcraft knife, full tang, hand forge, class...! sounds fun. If I take the class I'd love to make something to accompany my beautiful Condor. See you in your next video.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Yep, huge color difference. Enough that I won't use it anymore! Great you have that Duku. That would be great if you handmade a companion knife for it! Thanks for watching Laura

[@92MrSandmann]

Hey mate, the toxicity has to do with the coding getting worn off , all alu is bad for your health (I've heard) Keep up the grate work

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

I believe vintage aluminum wasn't coated with anything. It was stamped or casted then polished

[@cabinman]

I think the cast pot (the big one) has a lot more pores because of the roughness of casting and with the acid in the apple sauce reacting to it to breakdown all that old crud in there. Plus acid and aluminum don't like each other. Most of the newer backpacking style pots has annodizing and doesn't react to acidic foods as much. Excellent experiment. Love all those old pans!

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

Cast is out for me now. I bet any of the newer anodized stuff if fine. I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for watching

[@JepsOutdoorAdventures]

I see what you mean about the whole 50 cook-kits thing

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

LOL, actually I also meant the grills and home made cookers! Wait till you see all that on video one day

[@JepsOutdoorAdventures]

Okay, it's official, I tagged you! kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHbconZ8Zs5rjc0

[@PapajosTraders]

Now thats interesting right there. My mom had one of those old cast aluminum cook pots that she used all the time. She passed away fairly young. But so far I am still healthy. Good vid Amigo.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

I'm sorry to hear that about your mom, thanks for watching Rex.

[@PapajosTraders]

@@Reallybigmonkey1 thanks, was lung cancer....prolly nor alum. related but you never know.

[@brannonbrown7720]

I seasoned all my aluminum like cast iron also one like urs they don’t look as nice but man they cook good

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

I agree, seasoned pots are definitely the way to go

[@rogierius]

Any tips on how to easily season aluminum skillet without an oven?

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

@@rogierius They claim you can start a campfire and get it going. Throw the pan in and warm it up. Pull it out while hot and smear Crisco all over it and throw it back into the coals. Do that 2 or 3 times and you should have a nice shiny black coating.

[@aliceleyva3767]

YES!! There is definitely a color difference from the time it started turning pink . "Course, we couldn't smell it, but I believe you on that.

[@Reallybigmonkey1]

I knew about the pink color but had never seen one stink!