Contribution to chromium and nickel enrichment during cooking of foods in stainless steel utensils.

Nickel ingestion can cause exacerbation of dermatitis in patients who are already nickel-sensitive; Chromium (Cr VI) is the 2nd allergen, after nickel. However, stainless steel is widely used in home cookware. In this study, we determined nickel and chromium levels by atomic absorption spectrometry in 11 habitual menus cooked in different grades of stainless steel utensils. We noted a great difference in nickel and chromium intake depending on the menu, and a significant difference between the glass and stainless steel saucepans, but this was very low compared with the levels of nickel and chromium contained in the menus; mean intakes of these elements were under the tolerable daily intake (TDI) recommended by the World Health Organization. Hence, there is no advantage for nickel-sensitive patients in switching to materials other than stainless steel, provided that this is of good quality.