A shop has just opened here in london selling traditional hand beaten
japanese copperware kettles.

For a long time now i notice copper cookware in the u.k. has been lined with
(i think) tin, for health reasons.

Is there really any danger from having a kettle made of copper? And is it
something the 'health' authorities would likely take action over?

On Mar 19, 6:23 am, "JWBH" > wrote:
> A shop has just opened here in london selling traditional hand beaten
> japanese copperware kettles.
>
> For a long time now i notice copper cookware in the u.k. has been lined with
> (i think) tin, for health reasons.
>
> Is there really any danger from having a kettle made of copper? And is it
> something the 'health' authorities would likely take action over?


I really don't know how much copper leaches out in something like
that. And it may have other trace elements that would be more harmful
than copper. Some copper is required in the human body. It supposed to
be good for hair color. I experimented with taking a copper supplement
one time and in two weeks I was losing hair in the shower. I stopped
and the loss stopped.
If those so called "Japanese" kettles were made in China, I would be
afraid to eat anything cooked in them for fear of other heavy metals.

On Mon, 19 Mar 2007 11:23:38 GMT, "JWBH"
> wrote:

>Is there really any danger from having a kettle made of copper?

Yes. Cooking highly acid foods like tomatoes can leach out too much.

>And is it something the 'health' authorities would likely take action over?

Unlikely, but anything can happen in a nanny-state.

I think that tins there so the copper doesn't discolor.

Marc

> wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 19 Mar 2007 11:23:38 GMT, "JWBH"
> > wrote:
>
>>Is there really any danger from having a kettle made of copper?
>
> Yes. Cooking highly acid foods like tomatoes can leach out too much.
>
>>And is it something the 'health' authorities would likely take action
>>over?
>
> Unlikely, but anything can happen in a nanny-state.

Marc wrote on Mon, 19 Mar 2007 15:07:11 GMT:

M> Marc

M> > wrote in message
M> ...
??>> On Mon, 19 Mar 2007 11:23:38 GMT, "JWBH"
??>> > wrote:
??>>
??>>> Is there really any danger from having a kettle made of
??>>> copper?
??>>
??>> Yes. Cooking highly acid foods like tomatoes can leach
??>> out too much.
??>>
??>>> And is it something the 'health' authorities would likely
??>>> take action over?
??>>
??>> Unlikely, but anything can happen in a nanny-state.

Eggs for omelets are very commonly beaten in copper bowls. A
particularly good example is a restaurant regarded as one of
the best places in the world for omelets: La Mere Poulaine on
L'isle St. Michelle in France. It was established many years ago
that there *is* a slight transfer of copper that stabilizes the
beaten eggs. The amount was not then or now regarded as harmful,
AFAIK.

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not

"JWBH" > wrote...
>
> Is there really any danger from having a kettle made of copper? And is it
> something the 'health' authorities would likely take action over?

I have heard that some people develop cirrhosis of the liver from drinking
too much whisky or brandy distilled in copper pots...

Copper-bottom pans like the old RevereWare were designed like that because
the copper spread the heat over the bottom more evenly than the stainless
steel used for the rest of the pan.

We have a few spun copper pans that we use for omelettes, sauces, etc.
They're perfectly safe. Clean off any green oxidation before using, because
it doesn't taste good at all. We seldom use chemical copper cleaners any
more; we just use a nylon scrubber pad.

"JWBH" > wrote in message
...
>A shop has just opened here in london selling traditional hand beaten
>japanese copperware kettles.
>
> For a long time now i notice copper cookware in the u.k. has been lined
> with (i think) tin, for health reasons.
>
> Is there really any danger from having a kettle made of copper? And is it
> something the 'health' authorities would likely take action over?
>
Tinned copper cookware is probably the best cookware as far as heat
transmission is concerned. It has to be periodically re-tinned to keep the
copper from combining with acidic foods, like tomato. It would be difficult
to find anyone to do this in the U.S., I would think.
The old fashioned tinned copper cookware is almost not available anymore.
Even Dehillerin, who makes the best copper egg bowel has stopped making it.
http://e-dehillerin.fr/en/Mauviel apparently still does.
http://mauviel.com/gb/prod.htm
I've seen tinned copper cookware at Williams Sonoma within the last few
years.
It's largely been replaced by stainless steel cladded copper cookware,
however.
I would have a hard time without my Dehillerin copper egg bowl. I wouldn't
want to revert back to cream of tartar for beating egg whites for one of our
favorite dishes, salmon soufflé.
Cheers,

Kent

"JWBH" > wrote in message
...
> A shop has just opened here in london selling traditional hand beaten
> japanese copperware kettles.
>
> For a long time now i notice copper cookware in the u.k. has been lined
with
> (i think) tin, for health reasons.
>
> Is there really any danger from having a kettle made of copper? And is it
> something the 'health' authorities would likely take action over?
>

Even in a kettle, the copper will react with the trace chemicals in the
water, and even more so with foods if you're using copper pots and pans.

All copper compounds are harmful to some extent and that is why the coating
of tin is essential, and it is also essential to get copper utensils
re-tinned at regular intervals before the copper becomes exposed.

If you're in doubt, contact your local Council's Environmental Health
Department.

Nemo.
Ohhhh! It's really like being in heaven, to retire in 2007!!