Are Nonstick Pans Safe?

Nonstick pans allow you to cook with less oil and clean-up is a breeze. But are they safe?

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!

Nonstick pans are extremely popular—and it’s not hard to see why. Clean-up is a breeze, thanks to a special coating that keeps food from bonding to the surface of the pan. The nonstick surface also allows you to cook with less (or even no) oil or butter. But are they safe?

Most nonstick pans are coated with polytetrafluoroethylene, also known as Teflon. And there are a lot of rumors out there that Teflon might be toxic and that these pans may not be safe to use.

On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.

One concern is that the nonstick coating can flake off and be ingested. This is more likely to happen with cheaper or poor-quality pans, or those that just haven’t been well taken care off. Using metal implements, for example, can scratch even a high-quality nonstick surface and make it more likely to flake. The good news is that ingesting small flakes of nonstick coating is not dangerous. The material will most likely just pass through the body. But it definitely reduces the nonstickiness of the pan.

Fortunately, most manufacturers of nonstick pans have phased out the use of perfluorooctanoic acid or PFOA, which is a suspected carcinogen. Nonstick pans never were our biggest source of exposure to this chemical, but it’s one less thing to worry about.

»Continue reading “Are Nonstick Pans Safe?” on QuickAndDirtyTips.com

It’s Time to Stand Up for Science

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.

I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.

If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.

In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.

There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.

Thank you,

David M. Ewalt, Editor in Chief, Scientific American