Re: Making Natto/Aluminum Pressure Cooker

[Guest guest]

I use a aluminum pressure cooker for my natto, but I do worry a

little about it. I found this info which doesn't seem terribly

reassuring. My take on it is that a little is not too bad but I

wouldn't use aluminum cookware daily especially if you have kidney

problems. Probably the ideal cookware in my opinion is the Le

Creuset, enamel coated cast iron stuff, Pricey but attractive and, as

far as I know, non reactive with acidic foods.

http://www.lecreuset.com/ (no, I don't own stock in it)

Toxicol Ind Health. 2002 Aug;18(7):309-20.

Aluminum as a toxicant.

Becaria A, A, Bondy SC.

Department of Community and Environmental Medicine, Center for

Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, Irvine, CA 92697-1820

Although aluminum is the most abundant metal in nature, it has no

known biological function. However, it is known that there is a

causal role for aluminum in dialysis encephalopathy, microcytic

anemia, and osteomalacia. Aluminum has also been proposed to play a

role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) even though this

issue is controversial. The exact mechanism of aluminum toxicity is

not known but accumulating evidence suggests that the metal can

potentiate oxidative and inflammatory events, eventually leading to

tissue damage. This review encompasses the general toxicology of

aluminum with emphasis on the potential mechanisms by which it may

accelerate the progression of chronic age-related neurodegenerative

disorders.

J Environ Monit. 2004 May;6(5):375-403. Epub 2004 Apr 23.

The biological behaviour and bioavailability of aluminium in man,

with special reference to studies employing aluminium-26 as a tracer:

review and study update.

Priest ND.

Professor of Environmental Toxicology, Middlesex University,

Queensway, Enfield, UK.

Until 1990 biokinetic studies of aluminium metabolism and biokinetics

in man and other animals had been substantially inhibited by

analytical and practical difficulties. Of these, the most important

are the difficulties in differentiating between administered

aluminium and endogenous aluminium-especially in body fluids and

excreta and the problems associated with the contamination of samples

with environmental aluminium. As a consequence of these it was not

possible to detect small, residual body burdens of the metal

following experimental administrations. Consequently, many believed

aluminium to be quantitatively excreted within a short time of uptake

in all, but renal-failure patients. Nevertheless, residual aluminium

deposits in a number of different organs and tissues had been

detected in normal subjects using a variety of techniques, including

histochemical staining methods. In order to understand the origins

and kinetics of such residual aluminium deposits new approaches were

required. One approach taken was to employ the radioisotope (67)Ga as

a surrogate, but this approach has been shown to be flawed-a

consequence of the different biological behaviours of aluminium and

gallium. A second arose from the availability, in about 1990, of both

(26)Al-a rare and expensive isotope of aluminium-and accelerator mass

spectrometry for the ultra-trace detection of this isotope. Using

these techniques the basic features of aluminium biokinetics and

bioavailability have been unravelled. It is now clear that some

aluminium is retained in the body-most probably within the skeleton,

and that some deposits in the brain. However, most aluminium that

enters the blood is excreted in urine within a few days or weeks and

the gastrointestinal tract provides an effective barrier to aluminium

uptake. Aspects of the biokinetics and bioavailability of aluminium

are described below.

Arch Environ Contam Toxicol. 1992 Aug;23(2):211-5.

Stainless steel cookware as a significant source of nickel, chromium,

and iron.

Kuligowski J, Halperin KM.

Division of Science, Engineering and Technology, The Pennsylvania

State University at Erie, 16563.

Stainless steels are widely used materials in food preparation and in

home and commercial cookware. Stainless is readily attacked by

organic acids, particularly at cooking temperatures; hence iron,

chromium, and nickel should be released from the material into the

food. Nickel is implicated in numerous health problems, notably

allergic contact dermatitis. Conversely, chromium and iron are

essential nutrients for which stainless could be a useful source.

Home cookware was examined by atomic absorption spectroscopy: seven

different stainless utensils as well as cast iron, mild steel,

aluminum and enamelled steel. The materials were exposed to mildly

acidic conditions at boiling temperature. Nickel was a major

corrosion product from stainless steel utensils; chromium and iron

were also detected. It is recommended that nickel-sensitive patients

switch to a material other than stainless, and that the stainless

steel cookware industry seriously consider switching to a non-nickel

formulation.

> Hello,

> If you've made Natto before (or any cooked soybean dish) you know

> that cooking soybeans can be rediculous! Boiling beans for 6 hours

> periodically adding water is not something I always have time for.

I

> just bought a 4.2 quart $20 pressure cooker.

> Sure enough it will pressure steam a cup of soybeans in 30 min.

> We tried some salmon fillets in it and they turned out " pro " with a

> dash of sea salt, pepper and dill in 5 min.

> SO anyway, the cooker is made of aluminum and I have been reading

> here and there that aluminum might be partly to blame for various

> human ailments today (alzheimer's, cancer, osteoperosis and others).

> It is also reported that you can get a MUCH larger dose of

aluminum

> from antacids, buffered asprin, baking soda and deodorant, than

from

> cookware. I don't use any of that stuff.

> This is our only piece of aluminum cookware and I intend to

upgrade

> to stainless, now that I know this is such a great kitchen item.

> I used a stainless steamer basket in the bottom for cooking the

> soybeans. I was curious if aluminum could still get into the beans

> even though they are'nt in direct contact with the pot, due to the

> steam pressurized atmosphere.

> I understand that this is one of those " play it safe " issues where

I

> should just be safe and get another pressure cooker since I know

> aluminum is not GOOD for me in any way, but I want to make my Natto

> and won't be able to afford one right away.

> I simply was interested in any info, research or opinions on

> aluminum cookware and health. Do you cook in aluminum? Are you

> healthy? Should I not use my pressure cooker at all?

> Thanks,

> Beau B.

[Guest guest]

Beau Barrett wrote:

> If you've made Natto before (or any cooked soybean dish) you know

>that cooking soybeans can be rediculous! Boiling beans for 6 hours

>periodically adding water is not something I always have time for.

Beau, did you soak the beans first? I find that if I soak soy beans

overnight, they will cook in a small (2 litre) pot on a rapid boil in

about an hour or so. But then:

>I just bought a 4.2 quart $20 pressure cooker.

>Sure enough it will pressure steam a cup of soybeans in 30 min.

A $20 pressure cooker! Wow. But I would still advise you to soak the

beans for 12 hours or so first, as that helps to deal with certain

things in the beans that can trouble digestion of them.

I don't have a strong view or solid info about the aluminium issue, so

am ignoring that aspect of your post...

cheers,

Ross.

--

" The lawn could stand another mowing; funny, I don't even care "

- Elvis Costello

[Guest guest]

Hi Ross,

Yes I did soak the beans for 12 hours, I'm pretty strict about that, I even get

rice soaking first thing in the am if I want to eat it for dinner (unless I

toast it instead). Wow an hour sounds fast, that was long enough to boil the

soybeans when preparing tempeh, since the beans only need to be half cooked.

Soybeans are definitely important to soak, they have the nasty " Trypsin

inhibitor " among other things like phytoestrogens (plant hormones that mimic

human ones).

It is best to ferment soybeans for consumption by making things like Miso,

Natto and tempe(h), there are many other soy ferments as well... This minimizes

or elimintates the toxins.

Thanks for the heads up

Beau B

Re: Making Natto/Aluminum Pressure Cooker

Beau Barrett wrote:

> If you've made Natto before (or any cooked soybean dish) you know

>that cooking soybeans can be rediculous! Boiling beans for 6 hours

>periodically adding water is not something I always have time for.

Beau, did you soak the beans first? I find that if I soak soy beans

overnight, they will cook in a small (2 litre) pot on a rapid boil in

about an hour or so. But then:

>I just bought a 4.2 quart $20 pressure cooker.

>Sure enough it will pressure steam a cup of soybeans in 30 min.

A $20 pressure cooker! Wow. But I would still advise you to soak the

beans for 12 hours or so first, as that helps to deal with certain

things in the beans that can trouble digestion of them.

I don't have a strong view or solid info about the aluminium issue, so

am ignoring that aspect of your post...

cheers,

Ross.

--

" The lawn could stand another mowing; funny, I don't even care "

- Elvis Costello

[Guest guest]

Ye old Presto Pressure cookers are the old reliable. I know there are fancier

and sleeker and enameled models these days. Some from Japan and Europe. But the

Presto stainless steel is very good. I have 4 that I have accumulated through

the years from garage sales and flea markets. 2 are the 4 quart model and 2 are

the 6 quart model.

They are used as pressure cookers but quite often without pressure, just as good

cooking pots.

8 quart model is overkill in my opinion.

I checked out completed auctions on eBay and by the time you pay shipping you

can get one for about $27.

http://tinyurl.com/722cj

I cook the natto beans in water and use the cooking water in soup etc.

After soaking ~18 hours they can be done as soon as 30 minutes

Dan