The FDA has stated that cooking and eating food on Teflon products is perfectly safe. But effective 2023, 12 U.S. states implemented laws restricting or banning all PFAS products. Maine was the first state to ban the manufacture and sale of PFAS products completely.
The knock on Teflon is that it's unsafe if consumed or absorbed into the body and can increase the chances of cancer and other diseases. Studies have shown some connections (more on that below), but Teflon still exists and is used to make cookware, but the safety concerns around Teflon are mostly a thing of the past.
Nonstick cookware is likely safe to use if people follow precautions. A 2024 study tested six types of aluminum-based cookware coated in Teflon or granite, commonly known as ceramic-coated.
Professional chefs typically do not use nonstick cookware because it is not as durable as other types of cookware and can scratch or chip easily. Additionally, nonstick coatings can deteriorate over time, which can affect the taste and safety of the food being cooked.
We advise replacing your nonstick pans whenever the coating starts to degrade or is scratched—or about every three to five years.
For decades, DuPont used perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA, or C8) during production of PTFE, later discontinuing its use due to legal actions over ecotoxicological and health effects of exposure to PFOA.
Tefal Pans Are Not Made With TEFLON™
Historically, Tefal used TEFLON™-branded coatings for its non-stick pans. However, when Groupe SEB acquired Tefal in 1968, it chose to internalize the production of its own non-stick coatings to better control and manage all stages of production.
“The most nontoxic cookware that you can buy is stainless steel, cast iron or carbon steel; things that don't have a coating on them,” says Alexis Pisciotta, culinary purchasing and events manager and cookware consultant for Food Network.
Broken or scratched Teflon coating could lead to the release of thousands to millions of plastic particles, a study suggests. The coating may shed microplastics and PFAS, also known as forever chemicals. Exposure to PFAS has been linked to health risks including liver disease and kidney cancer.
Most air fryer baskets are coated with Teflon or a similar nonstick coating. The majority of air fryers in the market today have Teflon or nonstick-coated cooking baskets. They function similarly to nonstick cookware in that they release food easily and can be cleaned often with just soapy, hot water.
Teflon® is a registered trademark of DuPont and a brand name for polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) a nonstick finish. While Calphalon cookware features polytetrafluoroethylene-based nonstick finishes, we are not associated with, nor do we use, Teflon® branded products.
Is HexClad cookware safe? HexClad describes its nonstick coating as a "Japanese coating infused with diamond dust." The company states that its pans are PFOA-free, though they do contain PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), commonly known by the brand name Teflon.
While Teflon itself isn't deemed harmful under normal use, the controversy arises from its manufacturing process. The chemical PFOA, once used in making Teflon, has been linked to health risks. However, since 2013 in the U.S. and 2008 in Europe, cookware is supposed to be free of PFOA.
Choosing between ceramic and nonstick cookware can be hard. One key fact is that ceramic pans don't have PTFE, making them a safer choice health-wise.
Based on this list, it is best to avoid Teflon and other nonstick pans, especially those made with either PTFE or PFOA, as well as aluminum pots and pans.
Our products are safe, and compliant with with all applicable federal and state safety regulations. We are proud to be able to offer our customers a variety of cookware materials to choose from, including stainless steel and nonstick ceramic.
For our recommendations, we stick to stainless steel, cast iron, and enamel or ceramic coatings. If you're making the switch from traditional nonstick cookware, you should look into ceramic or enameled cookware. These coatings tend to hold up for years, especially if you cook over medium to low heat.
GenX and PFBS are being used as replacement chemicals for PFOA and PFOS, the original Teflon chemicals that were forced off the market due to their decades-long persistence in the environment and their link to serious health harms in exposed people and wildlife.
A: Calphalon stopped manufacturing our nonstick using PFOA back in the third quarter of 2012. We have then since moved to a formula that is completely FDA approved.
More than 60 years ago, our history started
In 1954, Marc Grégoire followed his wife's advice and as he had done for his fishing gear, used Teflon to coat her pans. The results were astounding! Two years later, Tefal was created to produce non-stick frying pans and became the first creator of non-stick cookware.
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) appears to be the most common fluorinated compound in cosmetics. It is used most widely in anti-aging products and cosmetics, likely because it provides a smooth, sleek finish. PTFE is trademarked as Teflon®, for use in non-stick cookware.
The easiest way to determine if your cookware features a Teflon coating is to look for specific keywords: “Teflon” or “PTFE.” Reputable manufacturers proudly label their products as such.
April 6, 1938: Discovery of Teflon. The history of science is rife with serendipitous discoveries that can profoundly impact our daily lives. That includes the discovery of a novel polymer, later trademarked as Teflon, by an American scientist named Roy J. Plunkett.