Are Non-Stick Pans Harmful?
Non-stick pans are a useful item in the kitchen. Our Senior Food and Beverage Editor Claire Lower won’t make a light egg or thin pancake without them . But do you need to worry about the coverage being bad for your health? Not really, but it’s important to know how to properly handle a non-stick pan.
The coating of concern is what you may know as Teflon (one brand name for non-stick coatings). Chemically, it is polytetrafluoroethylene or PTFE. By itself, this substance does not pose a health hazard. It is inert, meaning it does not react chemically with your body or anything else. But there are a few related chemicals that may be less safe.
What health problems are associated with the chemicals used in non-stick pans?
When people talk about non-stick pans, they usually mean the chemical PFOA or perfluorooctanoic acid. It was used in the production of Teflon coatings in the early 2000s and earlier, and was completely phased out by 2013. This chemical can cause so-called “polymer smoke fever” if you inhale large amounts of said fumes. It is not easy to contract vapor fever; case reports include industrial workers and a man who burned almost the entire coating of a Teflon pan while sleeping . Smoke fever has flu-like symptoms, but people usually recover within a few hours.
PFOA is part of a group of chemicals known as PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. They are known as “timeless chemicals” because they do not break down in the environment. PFAS have been used in all types of industrial production, not just pots, and they are everywhere , including in our drinking water . Studies have found them in the blood, citing the CDC , “in almost all people tested.” This is clearly a bad situation from an environmental point of view. (One small bright spot: Blood levels dropped markedly after the chemicals were phased out about a decade ago.)
But are we putting ourselves in danger, especially by using non-stick pans ? Probably no. The American Cancer Society reports that “non-stick cookware is not a significant source of PFOA exposure” and notes that neither the Environmental Protection Agency nor the World Health Organization have been able to determine whether PFOA poses a cancer risk to humans.
How to safely use a non-stick pan
The bottom line is that the chemical associated with the chemicals used in non-stick pans can be harmful to human health, but so far we are not aware of any dangers associated with their use in conventional cooking. However, it’s a good idea to make sure you don’t overheat your non-stick pan.
Although PFOA is no longer used in the manufacture of pans, it can still be produced when the PTFE coating breaks down, and this can happen if you heat the pan well above its normal cooking temperature. The next time you buy a non-stick pan, take a look at the label and it will probably list the maximum temperature – usually around 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
This means you don’t have to preheat an empty pan and go, and you have to take care of your pans and avoid scratching the coating (which can make it more likely to release chemicals when heated). It is also recommended not to cook at high temperatures in a Teflon-coated pan. If you want to fry something over high heat, a cast iron or stainless steel pan is the best choice.