In the modern world, it’s essential to do some research and read some reviews before buying any item in your home. You rely on insights from professional reviewers and genuine users. When the kitchen space is experiencing a sudden modernization, new appliances and cookware are being invented every year, offering reliability and safety.
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What Does PFOA And PTFE Free Mean?
The demand for non-stick cookware is increasing drastically, thus replacing traditional cast iron and carbon steel appliances. Almost every home has a non-stick pan. You have certainly heard about PFOA and PTFE free while reading online reviews, browsing cookware catalogs, or at least from your friends.
When human health awareness is on the rise and environmental protection agencies are drumming support on advocacy and minimized emissions, you should know about the implications when buying a cooking appliance.
There are chemicals used to manufacture cookware that might be toxic to the human body and environment. Being conversant with the materials used, manufacturing process, and reaction when heated is essential.
What Are PFOA And PTFE?
Perfluorooctanoic acid, usually abbreviated as PFOA, is a chemical used in the manufacturing process of PTFE non-stick appliances. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PFTE), on the other hand, is a chemical used to create non-stick coatings on products.
If you find cookware labeled as PFOA free or PTFE free, they have been manufactured without those chemicals. PFOA or PTFE-free cookware can be made of other materials such as anodized aluminum, ceramic coating, or stainless steel.
PTFE is popular due to its strength and durability. It’s therefore used in the motor vehicle industry. In the kitchen appliances space, the material is used to make cookware surfaces non-stick. Despite the rumored health concerns, PTFE remains unraveled in non-stick coatings.
The intervention of the health advocates has seen companies stop using PFOA in the manufacture of Teflon coating. Non-stick cookware featuring PTFE coating is safe to use, unlike many people’s beliefs. You can prolong the lifespan of your PTFE-coated cookware by handling them properly.
PTFE has unique properties, such as a very low friction coefficient that prevents food from sticking to non-stick cooking appliances. Notably, Teflon coating falls off when scratched. Its, however, still considered safe to use regardless of scratches.
PTFE-Free
Since PTFE is a compound that offers non-stick properties, PTFE-free indicates that the surface is not non-stick. Regular seasoning (adding oil) is needed on surfaces without the non-stick layer to ensure food does not stick. Seasoning surfaces without a non-stick coating give them non-stick properties.
PTFE-free surfaces are safe to use regardless of the degree of temperatures. These surfaces, however, require a lot of work (regular oiling). All PTFE-free surfaces bar stainless steel acquires a special film with non-stick qualities. Stainless steel surfaces, on the other hand, do not require seasoning.
Health Concerns Of PFOA And PTFE
In recent decades, there have been numerous questions about the safety of pots and pans used in the kitchen. For instance, you use a frying pan almost daily. It’s paramount to determine the safety of such appliances concerning the human body. According to research, using PFOA coated utensils puts you at substantial risk of various health disorders.
PTFE is safe to use since it’s inert and thus cannot react with chemicals in food or inside the body. The chemical, however, is dangerous when subjected to high heat, usually over 300 degrees Celsius. On the other hand, PFOA has been linked to causing cancer and increasing the chances of getting certain tumors.
Despite the fact your non-stick cookware is PFOA-free, you have to be cautious when handling them. Extremely high temperatures make the PTFE emit “polymer-fume fever,” which lead to headache, chills, and fever.
Due to its adverse effects, the Environmental Protection Agency played a huge role in compelling DuPont to stop using PFOA in Teflon manufacturing. Other manufacturers followed suit to stay level in the game.
In 2017, DuPont paid $671 million to residents of Parkersburg, W.Va. The company was culpable of contaminating drinking water with PFOA resulting in numerous complications such as thyroid disease, high cholesterol, and cancer cases.
Alternatives
Due to health concerns, you might want to ply the alternative route. PTFE-free cookware is of high quality and does not produce toxic fumes irrespective of the temperatures. There are several options that you can try.
- Metal utensils – Metal utensils include classic cast iron, hard-anodized aluminum cookware, and stainless-steel cookware. They are oven safe, easy to clean, dishwasher safe, and can withstand high temperatures. Even though some are not coated, others are covered with safe materials such as ceramic.
- Ceramic cookware – some cooking appliances are coated with ceramic. They are easy to clean, oven-safe, and are safe to use. They are also scratch-resistant.
Conclusion
Although most non-stick cookware is coated with polytetrafluoroethylene, there are various options you can turn to should you be wary about your health. Unlike many people’s beliefs, oddly, ingestion of small flakes of the non-stick coating is not as dangerous as documented.
Lastly, you don’t have to ditch PFOA and PTFE-free cookware completely. You can use the layered ones, given that the layers are massive and coated via spraying. After all, you can use the typical cookware for light dishes without putting yourself at risk.
Did you know that PTFE was discovered in 1938 by accident by DuPont’s chemist Roy Plunkett?
