Paul Keller
Sometimes it’s just too tempting to lick the yogurt lid. From time to time, however, it is read that licking is a concern because the lids often contain aluminum. what’s up
Yes, many yogurt lids contain aluminum. And yes, the light metal is considered to be neurotoxic and is harmful to health above a certain limit. Excessive aluminum intake damages, among other things, the nervous system and children in the womb.
Scratch off the yogurt lid? Safe
With an intact yoghurt lid, however, the body does not come into direct contact with aluminum. Because: The aluminum lids of yoghurt pots are covered with a thin layer of plastic, which is intended to prevent food from coming into contact with the light metal.
If the plastic layer is damaged by scraping it off with a spoon or by licking it, aluminum can come loose from the yoghurt lid, according to Benjamin Schiller from the Chemical and Veterinary Investigation Office in Stuttgart (CVUA). However, the amount of aluminum released in the process is so small that any health impairment can be ruled out, according to the expert.
Lick the lid of the yoghurt: Danger for the tongue
Although licking the yoghurt lid is safe when it comes to aluminum, you should still be careful. Because: The edge of the lid can have sharp edges. And then it can happen that you hurt your tongue when you lick it.
Keep aluminum away from salt and acid
Beverage cans, tubes and other packaging containing aluminum are also coated. Larger amounts of the light metal can only be dissolved if salty or acidic foods are stored or prepared in conventional aluminum foil or uncoated aluminum bowls. You should also keep aluminum cutlery or crockery away from acids and salts.
Incidentally, it is not possible to do without aluminum entirely. The light metal is also contained in numerous foods – for example in nuts, cocoa, chocolate or cereals; of course only in very small concentrations.
