Danger of Non-Stick Cookware
Non-stick cookware--the pans that make cooking and clean-up easier can make your choice of kitchen cookware--a bit more complicated. A non-stick surface will certainly be the easiest to use, but the ease might not be worth the risk of chemicals being released into the air as the pan heats up.
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Warning
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In the 1990s, scientists began raising concerns about the chemicals used in the coating of non-stick cookware. As Teflon®-treated pans heat up, the chemicals used to make the non-stick coating--perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFO) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)--begin to break up. The fumes are released into the atmosphere and can break down into the environment or enter the human body. PFOA might be a carcinogen--or cancer-causing agent. After years of testing, the EPA does not currently consider the use of non-stick cookware a concern, but there are guidelines to ensure it is used safely.
Considerations
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According to tests commissioned by the Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Working Group, the chemicals used to treat a non-stick pan can break down after just two to five minutes on a hot stove. When the pan heats up to 500 degrees F, the chemicals are released into the air.
"At various temperatures these coatings can release at least six toxic gases, including two carcinogens," according to the Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Working Group.
One consideration is to avoid using non-stick cookware, but no environmental testing has proved that the cookware is the sole source of these chemicals. The chemicals coming off a hot Teflon-coated pan can also be found in other consumer goods, such as hair care products, paper and packaging for food, clothing, household cleaners, lubricants and rugs. In fact, these chemicals are so common that wherever in America air, water and food are tested, these chemicals have been found.
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Identification
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The Teflon coating, manufactured by DuPont of Wilmington, Delaware, is not made of PFOA, though PFOA is used in the process. However, PFOA is also used to make other industrial and commercial products under such brand names as Stainmaster, Scotchgard and SilverStone--all of which have a surface resistance component.
Solutions
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Under the proper conditions, it is safe to use non-stick cookware. First, review your cooking habits. If you generally don't fry foods or cook food at high temperatures (500 degrees F or higher), then non-stick cookware should be a safe alternative for you. If you tend to cook at high temperatures, then consider switching to untreated, stainless steel. Stainless steel may be more expensive than non-stick cookware, but you can be sure that it's safe and will not release any toxins into the air.
If you're a big fan of fried food, then reach back to your grandmother's days and break out the cast iron frying pan. Cast iron pans heat evenly, add no toxic chemicals into the air and provide an extra source of iron in your food.
Safety Precautions
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If you opt to use non-stick cookware, do not heat the pan hotter than 500 degrees F. Since most cooks do not keep a thermometer in the pan, simply do not turn the knob too high. That way, you'll be sure to keep the temperature at a safe level. You might also want to open a window or turn on the exhaust fan to avoid inhaling any fumes. And, as with any cookware, never leave a hot pan unattended.
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