Is parchment paper safer than aluminum foil for lining a baking sheet?
Yes for most foods. Foil leaches aluminum into acidic and salty dishes; parchment doesn't.
What's actually in it
Aluminum foil leaches aluminum into food. Acidic ingredients (tomato, lemon, vinegar) and salty ones (marinades, fish with soy sauce) pull the most. Heat speeds it up.
Parchment paper is paper with a thin silicone coating for non-stick performance. Unbleached parchment skips the chlorine bleaching step. Better parchment brands don't use added PFAS.
What the research says
A 2025 study in Int J Environ Health Res measured aluminum migration from aluminum cooking surfaces. Acidic foods drove the biggest leaching. Parchment doesn't add this load.
For everyday baking and roasting, unbleached parchment paper is the cleaner liner. Save foil for wrapping dry foods or covering dishes in the oven when the foil doesn't touch the food directly.
The research at a glance
| Study | Journal | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy metal transitions from cooking utensils to different solutions. | Int J Environ Health Res | 2025 |
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