Nonsense?

Question

What do you make of this (taken from the website of a certain Kashrut organization) Another means of addressing these sticky issues is to bake products on a special non-stick paper or pan liner, such as “vegetable parchment paper” or “Quilon® Paper”. Parchment paper is produced by treating conventional papers with a strong acid, which causes the paper fibers to swell and partially dissolve into a gel. The acid is then removed and the gel pressed back into a solid paper form, creating a material that resists oil and water. Its appellation of “parchment” stems from its similarity to true parchment in strength and durability, but is not animal based. Quilon® is a registered trademark of the Dupont Company, and refers to paper that is treated with a mixture of chromium and various fatty acids. Many of the original Quilon® papers contained non-Kosher stearic acid, and for that reason it is important to ensure that only baking papers with reliable Kosher certification are used. Fortunately, a number of Kosher versions of non-stick papers are available on the market, although they are often referred to as “quilon” for convenience, even though they are not manufactured by Dupont. The most durable – and expensive – non-stick paper is coated with silicone. While silicone may pose no Kashrus concerns, such papers may contain vegetable oils that do require a Kosher certification and raise concerns of Kitniyos for Pesach. Even the oldest non-stick film – the venerable wax paper invented by Thomas Edison – originally contained a mixture of paraffin and animal fats. Today, most wax paper uses only paraffin (a petroleum derivative), but some versions may still contain objectionable ingredients or be made on equipment used for a non-Kosher product. It is therefore important to ensure that wax paper bear a reliable Kosher certification. Our slippery problem goes beyond baking and bakeries, however. The third most common element in the earth’s crust – aluminum – has become a staple in the kitchen. Drawing upon its ductile qualities, this metal is formed into disposable baking pans and rolled into thin sheets to create aluminum foil. During the extrusion of aluminum foil, oils are used to lubricate the metal. These oils are generally mineral based, and in most cases when the foil is annealed after rolling to its final thickness, the oil is burnt off the metal. For this reason, regular aluminum foil does not feel “greasy”. Although most major brands of aluminum foil bear a Kosher certification, the heat of the annealing process should be sufficient to “kasher” the foil from any suspect oils. In the case of disposable aluminum pans, however, the issue is a bit more significant. More copious amounts of oil are used as the metal is pressed, and the pans are not subject to an annealing process after forming. While animal fats are generally not used for such productions, both mineral and vegetable oils may be used. For this reason, some authorities recommend washing disposable aluminum pans before Pesach to remove any possible Kitniyos oil residue. The issue of lubricants and non-stick surfaces do come together, however, in the new Reynolds Wrap® Release™ brand of “non-stick” aluminum foil. This product is coated with a proprietary blend of chemicals that prevents food from sticking to it, and the argument for Kosher certification for this product is much more cogent. Fortunately, the product does indeed bear a Kosher certification, although its approval for Pesach is pending.