Debra Lynn Dadd

Surgical Stainless Steel Cookware

QUESTION:

Hi Debra,

I notice none of the comments were about surgical steel. how about some information on surgical steel cook ware.
Thank you.

POSTED BY IJ :: GEORGIA USA :: 11/02/2009 4:08 PM

DEBRA'S ANSWER:

First I had to research the difference between stainless steel and surgical stainless steel. There is a difference. Surgical stainless steel (or "surgical steel") is stainless steel with the addition of molybdenum to prevent specific forms of corrosion and help maintain the cutting edge. It is used in the manufacture and handling of food and pharmaceutical products where it is often required in order to minimize metallic contamination.

There is cookware made from surgical stainless steel and this would be safer than ordinary stainless steel if you want stainless steel cookware. There are many available. Simply type "surgical steel cookware" in your favorite search engine to find them.

Debra :-)

COMMENTS:

Are you saying that regular stainless steel pots leach metal into food. I have good, expensive stainless pots, but they are not surgical steel. Do they cause a lot of leaching? I guess glass is the best. I presume it's better than aluminum. Bummer.

COMMENT FROM DEBRA: Yes.

POSTED BY BARBARA POWERS :: ARIZONA USA :: 11/05/2009 1:19 PM

can you make some recommendations on what kind of cookware to buy. Is surgical steel the best bet?

COMMENT FROM DEBRA: See Debra's List: Food: Cookware plus surgical stainless steel would be fine.

POSTED BY AW :: MASSACHUSETTS USA :: 11/05/2009 1:25 PM

Debra,

I also found an article by Dr. Ray Peat, a biochemist. He says:
There are two main types of stainless steel, magnetic and nonmagnetic. The nonmagnetic form has a very high nickel content, and nickel is allergenic and carcinogenic. It is much more toxic than iron or aluminum."

I checked around a few websites to verify this idea that magnetic stainless steel contains less nickel than nonmagnetic, and indeed, it is true.

I have some older waterless cookware that passes the magnet test. I carry a little "refrigerator magnet" in my pocketbook to test stainless steel just for the sake of wondering! :-). I have been surprised by the amount of stainless steel on the market, both in pots/pans and travel mugs, that do NOT pass the magnet test. Most all of it does NOT.

COMMENT FROM DEBRA: Yes, I put this data on this blog months ago. The nonmagnetic contains less or no nickel, but it still contains iron and chromium, both of which leach as well.

POSTED BY LISA WRIGHT :: SOUTH CAROLINA USA :: 11/05/2009 1:55 PM

Just to clarify, before I rush out and buy a new pan, and for those of us with Chronic Fatigue who are too tired to try to lift a ceramic pot, are you saying that pans made of surgical stainless steel are acceptable? Will they pass the magnet test? Do they need to?

COMMENT FROM DEBRA: My understanding is that the addition of molybdenum creates a protective coating over the stainless steel that at least reduces if not eliminates metallic contamination. So if you want stainless steel, this would be the type to use. I don't know if they pass the magnet test, but I don't think they need to. The molybdenum forms a protective layer.

POSTED BY MARY :: CALIFORNIA USA :: 11/06/2009 5:34 AM

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