Author: Isobel Whitcomb Published on October 4, 20

It may be time to discard old Teflon cookware.

Scraping the burnt breakfast residue in the kitchen sink every morning will become boring after a period of time. Nonstick pans seem to be an attractive alternative-but is it safe?

Suzanne Fenton, a reproductive endocrinologist at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in North Carolina, said that usually when people ask about the safety of non-stick cookware, they are talking about the Teflon brand. This transparent plastic, also known as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), is used to coat metal pots and pans to give them a waxy, easy-to-clean surface-scientists have been debating whether it is safe for decades Used for cooking.

Experts tend to agree that Teflon itself is not a problem. The coating itself is considered non-toxic. Even if you ingest a small piece of it, it will pass directly through you. But some experts worry about what happens when Teflon overheats. "When the pan overheats, the PTFE coating begins to decompose," Fenton told Live Science. When PTFE decomposes, it releases a lot of toxic gas. In rare cases, inhalation of these chemical fumes can cause polymer fumes fever, which is characterized by high fever, shortness of breath, and weakness. These gases are also lethal to birds-light bulbs coated with Teflon have destroyed the poultry house. Of particular concern is perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which is a chemical substance released when a Teflon pan is heated. Fenton said that long-term exposure to PFOA has been linked to many diseases ranging from cancer to thyroid disease. 

Related: What makes something fireproof?

Not all researchers think that people need to worry that their PTFE plates will break. Someone pointed out that there is no research specifically analyzing the long-term effects of Teflon pot on the human body. Instead, these studies focused on the health effects of chemical byproducts of PTFE (such as perfluorooctanoic acid). Most of the data on these toxins comes from environmental exposure cases-such as drinking water or factory environments, where exposure levels are much higher than those of non-stick cookware. "Generally speaking, non-stick pans are not dangerous," said Kyle Steenland, a professor of environmental health at Emory University in Atlanta.

Steenland and other scientists also argued that people's cooking temperature is not high enough for these chemical reactions to occur. "Now, if you burn your pan at a high temperature for an hour, it [Teflon] will decompose," "But this is the least important issue for you, because your house will catch fire." 

However, studies have shown that the pan can easily reach a temperature sufficient to decompose PTFE. A team of Canadian researchers published a study in the journal Nature in 2001 in which Teflon decomposed at 680 degrees Fahrenheit (360 degrees Celsius). Background: According to an article published in "Environmental Science and Pollution Research" in 2017, if placed on a stove at high temperature for 8 minutes, a pot coated with PTFE can reach 750 degrees Fahrenheit (399 degrees Celsius). According to an article published in Polymer Degradation and Stability in 1998, the Teflon coating will still decompose over time at lower temperatures. According to a study by Nature in 2001, if you continue to heat the pot to 500 F (260 C; the temperature at which we grill steaks), the pot should last about 2.3 years. 

According to Steenland and Fenton, PFOA was voluntarily phased out in the United States in 2015, but the chemical is still widely used in China. However, studies have found that the transparent plastic coating called PTFE may still produce PFOA when it decomposes.

Proper storage of non-stick pans helps ensure the safety of the kitchen. Fenton said: "It's very important to use a pan on low to medium heat, and don't use utensils that can scratch it." 

But in some cases, it's better to abandon the Teflon pan altogether, Fenton adds-especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have young children. PFOA is especially related to children's developmental problems. This is because this chemical is considered an endocrine disruptor, which means that it interferes with the body's hormonal system. According to an article published in the "Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology" in 2012, PFOA exposure can increase estrogen in male rats and delay mammary gland development in female mice. In humans, this chemical is associated with obesity, diabetes, poor sperm quality, and irregular menstrual cycles-potential signs of endocrine disorders.

——When did humans discover the use of fire?

——Is it safe to cut off the mold and eat the rest?

Fortunately, there are many other options for those who don't like to scrub dishes. Fenton said that cookware made of anodized aluminum (a product that prevents corrosion and scratches) and ceramics are non-sticky and very safe. If properly maintained, the cast iron frying pan can also be used as another non-toxic, non-stick pan, while enriching food with hematopoietic iron. 

"Nonstick pans come in many forms," ​​Fenton said. "Of course people can use them to cook healthy meals safely."

Editor's note: This story was updated on October 7 to correct the temperature; instead of grilling at 260 degrees Fahrenheit (127 degrees Celsius), steaks are grilled at 500 degrees Fahrenheit (260 degrees Celsius). It was updated on October 13 to clarify that Teflon is a brand and includes the voluntary suspension of PFOA in 2015 in the United States. 

Originally published on Live Science.

Isobel Whitcomb is a contributor to Live Science, covering environment, animals, and health. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Fatherly, Atlas Obscura, Hakai Magazine, and Scholastic's Science World magazine. The root of Isobel lies in science. She studied biology at Scripps College in Claremont, California, while working in two different laboratories and completing a scholarship in Crater Lake National Park. She received a master's degree in journalism from New York University's Science, Health, and Environmental Reporting Program. She currently lives in Portland, Oregon.

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