Dangers of Nonstick Cookware

Whether I’m scrambling eggs or stir-frying vegetables, I always find myself reaching for my nonstick frying pan. In fact, the clean up process with my nonstick pan is so quick and painless that I have a hard time giving my other pots and pans an equal amount of love. Many others share my affinity for this product.  In fact, in 2006, 90% of all aluminum pans sold in the United States were coated in Teflon® or a comparable nonstick substitute.¹ Unfortunately, I recently learned that nonstick pans might not be the safest for our health or environmentally friendly.

What is “Nonstick”?

ⁱMany conventional nonstick pans are coated with Teflon, which is a brand name for the synthetic chemical polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Teflon has been used commercially since the 1940s, and this chemical is what makes surfaces “nonstick.” Part of the reason Teflon is so widely used is because it is a very stable chemical, meaning it does not react with most other chemicals.²

Are Nonstick Pans Toxic?
The byproduct chemical known as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is created during the process of manufacturing Teflon. While it is barely present in the final Teflon product, PFOA is burned off during the manufacturing process and enters the environment. PFOA unfortunately can remain in the environment and in our bodies for long periods of time. Humans can be exposed to PFOA through some foods, drinking water, household dust, and stain-resistant fabrics and carpeting. Studies have shown that exposure to PFOA increases risk of bladder, kidney, and testicular cancer.³

At the moment, agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have not determined whether or not PFOA should be considered a carcinogen. Since PFOA is not present in high levels in Teflon-coated pans, these pans are not considered a significant source of exposure to this chemical.⁴ However, it is important to remember that because the manufacturing of this product releases this chemical into the environment, we eventually become exposed to PFOA through other ways.

ⁱⁱLuckily, since PTFE is a stable chemical, ingesting Teflon flakes that get into our food is not toxic to our health. However, when Teflon pans are overheated, they begin to emit toxic fumes that can cause flu-like symptoms for some people.⁵  How much heat is too much? According to Kurunthachalam Kannan, Ph.D., an environmental toxicologist at the New York State Department of Health’s Wadsworth Center, the answer is temperatures above 500 degrees Fahrenheit.⁶  While it is easy to track the temperature of a pan in the oven, tracking the temperature of a stovetop pan is not something most of us think too much about.  In 2003, the Environmental Working Group released a study that showed that after only two to five minutes on a stovetop, Teflon-coated pans reach a temperature where they can begin to emit gases.  Similar studies have shown that pet birds have died from exposure to these toxic fumes once the pans reach a certain temperature.⁷

Tips for Cooking with Nonstick Pans
If you do not want to buy new pans, here are some safety tips for cooking with nonstick pans:

• Do not preheat an empty, nonstick pan at a high heat since empty pans heat up faster.⁸
• Heat your food at the lowest possible temperature that will still thoroughly cook your food.⁹
• Do not put Teflon-coated cookware in an oven hotter than 500 degrees Fahrenheit. ¹⁰
• Use an exhaust fan over the stove.¹¹
• Do not keep your pet birds in the kitchen.¹²
• Do not use the self-cleaning function on your oven if your oven has nonstick interior parts. The self-cleaning function uses high temperatures, which can lead to toxic fumes being released. ¹³
• Use heavier nonstick pans since lightweight pans tend to heat up faster.¹⁴
• Chipped and flaking pans might be more likely to release toxic fumes when overheated. To prevent scratching nonstick pans, do not use metal utensils or steel wool on them and do not stack them.  Use wooden cooking utensils.¹⁵
• Do not broil or sear meat in nonstick pans since doing so requires higher temperatures than nonstick pans can handle.¹⁶
• Replace your nonstick pans every three to five years (or sooner if they become severely damaged).

Nonstick Alternatives
There are many safe alternatives to nonstick pans, such as stainless steel, cast iron, and ceramic.  However, if you do not feel willing to part with the convenience of nonstick, check out this article for non-toxic, nonstick options. Happy cooking!