Teflon in the kitchen, or a few words about PTFE. Is non-stick harmful?

When we prepare meals at home, especially for our children, healthy and safe cooking should be a priority. This also applies to the dishes we use. Around pots i pan z non-stick coatings (Ang. non-stick) there has been a lot of controversy and contradiction opinion. Preparing dishes with their use has both loyal supporters and staunch opponents. 

However, it is hard to deny that the production technology of pots and pans with a non-stick coating has changed significantly over the years, which translates into the safety of their use in the kitchen. Are you looking for information on non-stick coating? Do you want to know exactly what it is? Are you wondering if you should be wary of opinions about the harmfulness of non-stick cookware? We invite you to read the article in which we will discuss the topic of non-stick coating and explain what this concept means.

Non-stick coating and Teflon: what does it mean?

Let's start with the terminology. Already at the beginning, we explained that by the term non-stick coated cookware we mean products that are resistant to sticking. However, what is Teflon?

Teflon® is a registered trademark of one of the chemical companies, though refers to a chemical compound commonly used in many industries - PolyTetraFluoroEthylene (PTFE). Much has been written about PTFE in the context of its harmfulness, with many arguments relating to the past. The earlier feedback does not apply to many non-stick coated cookware in production today, such as non-stick pans and pots.

Non-stick coating: where from negative opinion?

The PTFE coatings on pans, used since the 50s, were sometimes soft, delicate and not very resistant to scratching - often a single use of a metal spoon left a permanent mark, and deeper scratches made the non-stick coating lose its properties in these places.

Concerns were raised both by the possibility of particles from scratched non-stick coatings getting into the body, along with the food prepared on them, and the health hazards resulting from inhalation of poisonous vapors released from the coatings when the dishes are heated.

Non-stick coating a mischievousness  Pfoa

PTFE has gained a bad reputation (followed by non-stick coated vessels), mainly due to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). What is PFOA?

As for other perfluorinated organic compounds (PFCs) used in production - according to the current state of knowledge, their presence in the packaging of food products may be harmful.

Non-stick coating a harmfulness: what to watch out for?

Even if PTFE particles from damaged pans or pots get into our body, they are not metabolized in it. However, in order not to risk accumulating them, it is worth choosing products with high scratch resistance and use them properly, in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

A material such as PTFE begins to change its chemical properties when heated to a temperature exceeding 250-260 degrees C, which is much above the range recommended for frying or stewing dishes. At such high temperatures, PTFE first softens and then begins to partially turn into a gaseous state - inhaling its vapors may result in poisoning, manifested by fever, weakness, cough, and dizziness.

To avoid this, do not heat up the cookware with non-stick coating too high temperature. The more so because in this way we smoke fats and burn the foodwhich in itself (no matter what pots or pans we use) produces substances that are harmful to health.

Gcookware and pans with non-stick coating: safe, meaning what?

The use of modern technologies is convenient and time-saving - also in the kitchen, when preparing meals with children and for children. First, however, it is worth making sure that they are not harmful.