Frequently asked Questions

1) Is aluminum dishware harmful?

Aluminum enters the human body mainly with food. For example, in tea, the aluminum content is 200 times greater than in the water in which it is brewed. Other sources of aluminum ingestion in the body: water, air, drugs, dishes, deodorants. From the water comes 5-8%. FAO / WHO experts set the amount of tolerable daily consumption (PSP) of aluminum at 1 mg / kg of weight. The metabolism of aluminum in humans is not well understood, but it is known that inorganic aluminum is poorly absorbed and most of it is excreted in the urine. In some studies, aluminum is associated with brain lesions characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease (there is an increased aluminum content in patients’ hair). However, the epidemiological and physiological data currently available from the World Health Organization do not confirm the hypothesis of the causal role of aluminum in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. When using utensils, the ingress of aluminum particles is minimal. Cookware with non-stick coating prevents the ingress of aluminum with food.

People from blue screens, making round eyes, said that if an acidic product comes into contact with this metal, then aluminum particles get into the food, and this allegedly leads to catastrophic consequences. In particular, they recalled studies that showed that the level of aluminum in cells in a person suffering from Alzheimer’s disease is higher than in healthy ones. True, most of the “specialists” are silent about the fact that these studies were carried out back in the 70s, and after that, no matter how hard the scientists tried to prove the connection between the pans and the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, nothing happened. But it was proven more. It turns out that a person without health damage can eat up to 20-30 mg of this metal per day. For comparison, a serving of acid soup, stored in an aluminum bowl for a week, absorbs about 3 mg of aluminum.

The World Health Organization pleased us in 1998 with a report where it was said that aluminum does not pose a danger to humans and is not a carcinogenic metal, and cannot cause cancer cells.

This was the point put in the discussion about the dangers of aluminum cookware.

2) Is non-stick coating safe? What is it made of? Danger of polytetrafluoroethylene myth or reality?

VICTORIA ™ non-stick cookware covers are made on the basis of WATER BASED polytetrafluoroethylene. When heated, there is no release of harmful substances — organic solvents (primarily perfluorooctanoic acid). Due to its biocompatibility with the human body, polytetrafluoroethylene is successfully used for the manufacture of implants for cardiovascular and general surgery, dentistry, and ophthalmology. It is considered the most suitable material for the production of artificial blood vessels and cardiac stimulants. In 2011, it was first used for plastics of the damaged nasal septum and the walls of the paranasal sinuses instead of titanium meshes.

The possible negative effect of polytetrafluoroethylene on human health has been the subject of speculation for many years. The polymer itself is very stable and inert under normal conditions. Polytetrafluoroethylene does not react with food, water and household chemicals.

When ingested polytetrafluoroethylene is harmless. The World Health Organization has asked the International Cancer Control Organization to conduct an experiment on rats. Experience has shown that when consumed with food up to 25% of polytetrafluoroethylene it has no effect. This study was conducted in the 1960s and again in the 1980s in a common population of rats that consumed PTFE every day in an amount corresponding to 25% of the total food intake.

The release of harmful substances by polytetrafluoroethylene begins at temperatures above 450 ° C. Therefore, dishes with non-stick coatings is considered safe, since during normal operation such temperatures cannot be reached.

Studies by French experts who published in the “60 Millions de Consomateurs” magazine the results of a laboratory study of 13 samples of pans confirm the safety of the non-stick coating. A French magazine reports that as a result of the tests, the pans were completely safe. All samples successfully passed the test after a thousand-fold rubbing surfaces with an abrasive material for two cycles.

3) Why is VICTORIA ™ cookware so heavy?

The ware is made by method of manual chill casting. The thickened walls and the bottom allow for uniform heating of the entire pan, eliminating the deformation of the dishes during the heating process and, consequently, the detachment of the non-stick coating (if the instructions are followed, do not overheat the dishes above 230 ° C). It is kept warm for a long time – it allows you to cook on low heat and save energy.

4) How does extruded aluminum cookware differ from cast?

Pressed dishes are made by bending aluminum sheets and molding them into cases of products of simple geometric shapes using special stamps. Thanks to this technology, the cost of each product is low, the dishes are light and thin. Cold-formed metal is damaged at the molecular level, therefore stamped glassware can easily be deformed by heat and mechanical shock. The service life of a stamped pan depends largely on the thickness of the metal sheet from which they are made. Stamped dishes have a thickness of from 1.5 to 2.5 mm. The thinner the wall, the more it is subject to deformation. Such pans, although they are the most inexpensive, also serve for a very short time. They quickly fail due to deformation of the bottom and overheating of the coating. Since stamped dishes are very thin, in fact it is recommended only for heating food. Stamped dishes are best used on gas cookers, because on other types of slabs, it quickly deforms.
More popular and more expensive type of aluminum cookware is cast aluminum cookware. Utensils ™ VICTORIA is made of high-quality food-grade aluminum by pouring it into a pre-fabricated mold – chill mold. The main difference of the process technology from punching is that there is no deformation of the metal structure. Therefore, aluminum does not lose a fraction of its heat-conducting or deformation-resistant properties. In addition to this, walls thickened to 3-4 mm and to 5-6 mm bottom of dishes promote uniform heat distribution during cooking and reduce the likelihood of sticking or sticking. Cast aluminum cookware is heavier in weight and can last you longer.
The difference between cast and stamped products is also present in the technology of applying non-stick coatings. On the stamped product, the non-stick layer is applied by rolling over the coating on aluminum blanks – flat metal discs. When molding products, the integrity of the non-stick coating at the molecular level is also violated, in connection with this, the utensils quickly lose their non-stick properties. Molded dishes ™ VICTORIA non-stick coatings are applied by spraying: a liquid non-stick composition is applied to an already formed body with a spray gun, followed by drying and sintering. Before applying, cast products undergo special surface treatment for better adhesion of coatings to the housing. The coating applied by spraying is uniformly superimposed on the body of the product, the coating thickness is significantly higher due to the technological features, so the dishes retain their non-stick properties for a long time.

5) Is it possible to use dishes with a non-stick coating if the coating is scratched?

– You can use. The basis of ware ™ VICTORIA is food grade aluminum alloy. Each batch of metal passes strict input control on the content of toxic substances with the help of modern spectral installation. Non-stick coatings are made of water-based polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). It is an inert substance and does not enter into any chemical interactions upon contact with food, water and detergents. As part of our non-stick coatings, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is absent, the dangers of which are written in the media so much. Scratches and abrasions received during operation only slightly impair the non-stick properties of the dishes. In most cases, the wear of dishes with a non-stick coating is due to overheating, mechanical damage and washing with the use of abrasive agents.

6) Bakelite handeles – what is it?

– Bakelite is a unique type of modern plastic. Its popularity in the production of kitchen utensils due to special properties: increased strength, the ability to withstand high temperatures and not heat. The rough surface of bakelite prevents the hands from sliding off the handles and holding the dishes securely in any position. Bakelite handles are pleasant to the touch, especially with Soft-touch coating. The disadvantages include the temperature limit – bakelite knobs withstand heating up to 180 ° C. This somewhat limits their use in the oven and on the hob it is worth ensuring that the handles are not above the heating zone. They will not burn, but an unpleasant smell of burning plastic will appear in the air, and the surface of the handles will forever become hornets