Can metal cooking utensils leach heavy metals into your food?

What's actually in it

Metal cooking utensils, pots, and pans are made from alloys that contain multiple metals. Stainless steel contains nickel and chromium. Aluminum cookware sometimes has trace amounts of other metals. Cheaper imported utensils may contain lead and cadmium in their coatings, solders, or base metals.

When you stir, simmer, or cook in these tools, small amounts of metal can dissolve into your food. The amount depends on what you're cooking, how acidic it is, how long it sits in the pot, and what temperature you're using.

What the research says

A 2025 study in Int J Environ Health Res tested how much heavy metal transfers from common cooking utensils into different solutions. The researchers soaked utensils in water, acidic liquids (like vinegar and tomato juice), and salty water to mimic real cooking conditions.

Acidic solutions pulled the most metal out. Lead, cadmium, nickel, and chromium all showed up at measurable levels. The longer food sat in the utensil, the more metal leached out. This matters for anyone who leaves soup simmering for hours or stores leftovers in the same pot.

The levels varied a lot between brands and materials. Some utensils released metals well within safe limits, while others pushed closer to daily intake thresholds, especially for lead. The study highlights that not all cookware is created equal, and cheap, unbranded imports carry the most risk.

Wooden, silicone-tipped, or high-quality stainless steel utensils from reputable brands are safer bets. Avoid storing acidic foods like tomato sauce in metal pots overnight.