Today, most non-stick cookware is made without PFOA. While both synthetic chemicals are classified as PFAS and share a number of properties, PTFE is broadly considered safe to use. PFOA, on the other hand, has been declared carcinogenic to humans by the World Health Organisation.
Not exactly, but it's definitely under the microscope. While Teflon itself isn't banned, the chemicals used in its production, like PFOA, have faced restrictions due to health concerns. The EU is working on broader regulations to limit PFAS, which includes Teflon's main component, PTFE.
And when PTFE coatings overheat, they can produce fumes that are deadly to small birds and may be harmful to humans as well. You could describe this occurrence as “the canary in the kitchen,” Peaslee says. In addition, PFAS in pots and pans pose risks even if the chemicals don't migrate directly into our bodies.
The use of PFOA in the manufacturing of Teflon-coated cookware has been completely stopped. But, even when PFOA is used, it poses little or no harm to your health. Teflon on its own is safe and can't harm you when you ingest it.
Stainless steel is PFAS-free and is generally considered safe to cook and bake on. If you're cooking or baking acidic foods (like tomato sauce) or heavily salted foods for extended periods, this can cause leaching of nickel, chromium, and iron into your food, within levels that are safe to consume.
Today, most non-stick cookware is made without PFOA. While both synthetic chemicals are classified as PFAS and share a number of properties, PTFE is broadly considered safe to use. PFOA, on the other hand, has been declared carcinogenic to humans by the World Health Organisation.
“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.
Products manufactured by TEFAL do not contain PFOA. Our products are regularly tested by independent laboratories to ensure this. TEFAL uses PTFE, known for being inert, non-bioaccumulative, and therefore safe for human health, as recognised by health authorities.
ceramic is among the safest material for pans
From dishes, to glasses, bakeware and cookware, ceramic bakeware is our pick for the best cookware material for health thanks to its non-reactive nature and resistance to high temperatures and acidic foods. Plus it's so pretty!
That's right, Teflon is PTFE but by another name. Teflon is the trademarked brand name for PTFE owned by Chemours, and just as we call our vacuums Hoovers and sticky tape Sellotape, so we've come to know PTFE by the name it was given.
Under normal use, PTFE's aren't thought to cause a health risk, but when heated to above 500 degrees F there are increased emissions and the resulting polymer fume fever. Polymer fume fever causes a range of reported symptoms including fever, chills, muscle tension and headache.
In general, you want to replace nonstick pans after five years.
Then, we removed GreenPan entirely from our list of non-toxic cookware. There were two primary reasons: Competing brands began providing independent laboratory testing to prove their products are non-toxic. We became aware of lawsuits against GreenPan that cast doubt on the company's marketing claims.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer reviewed the research on PTFE, and determined the current data was inconclusive with regard to PTFE's potential to cause cancer. However, a wide-ranging literature has linked PFOA, which can be a contaminant of PTFE-containing consumer products, to health effects.
This unique polymer coating prevents food from sticking in the pans during the cooking process. Such cookware is also easy to wash. At normal cooking temperatures, PTFE-coated cookware releases various gases and chemicals that present mild to severe toxicity.
Note: As of January 2024, substances containing PFAS are no longer being sold into the U.S. market for food contact use as grease-proofers and their associated authorizations have been revoked by the FDA due to abandonment.
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.
Some cooks rely on ceramic cookware because of its non-stick properties, but for the seasoned home cook, ceramic lacks the durability and versatility of stainless steel cookware.
Le Creuset Stainless Steel Cookware Set
As we mentioned, stainless steel is naturally non-toxic, in addition to being the material many professional chefs prefer.
A surface scratch on Teflon coating may shed more than 9,000 micro- and nanoparticles, potentially contaminating food with harmful chemicals, according to a study by researchers from the Global Centre for Environmental Remediation.
Telfon (PTFE) is still used in most non stick cookware. A binding chemical to help teflon stick to the pan was PFOA, which hasn't really been used since 2013.
The fact that PTFE is a polymer makes it different from other chemicals in the PFAS family. Many well-known PFAS, like PFOA, only consist of seven to fourteen carbon atoms, and others have even less than seven. In comparison to PTFE, most other PFAS are short chained.
“If you are able to use or purchase glass or Pyrex, stainless steel pots and pans, they are healthier choices for long-term/lifetime use,” Jim Perko, Executive Chef in the Center for Integrative & Lifestyle Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, told Health.
Ceramic coating is considered safer than PTFE coating because it does not contain toxic chemicals such as PFOA, or release fumes when heated to higher temperatures. However, McManus points out that in her experience, ceramic cookware is less durable than its counterpart.
Essential Non-stick Ceramic cookware demonstrates Le Creuset's commitment to quality and performance and features a 10-year limited warranty. The superior ceramic non-stick coating is made without PFAS, and is applied to the interior, exterior and rim of every pot and pan for easy food release and cleaning.