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Nonstick cookware draws concern
Sept. 11, 03
Suzanne Havala Hobbs

In the ongoing battle to banish excess fat from foods, many of us turned to nonstick cookware.

Now those pots, pans, griddles, waffle makers, woks and bread machines are facing scrutiny over concerns about the safety of their nonstick coatings.

Chemicals used to make Teflon and many other household goods are under review by the Environmental Protection Agency due to concerns that they may be hazardous to our health.

The chemicals belong to a family of man-made substances called fluorochemicals. In addition to Teflon, fluorochemicals are used to make furniture, carpeting, clothing, cosmetics, stain repellents, leather, and in food packaging. They’re also used to make irons and ironing board covers, portable heaters and numerous other common household products.

One of the fluorochemicals used to make these goods is so widely dispersed throughout our environment that it can be found in the blood of more than 80 percent of people living in the U.S.

Although fluorochemicals have been used to make consumer goods for more than 50 years, health concerns were not raised until the late 1990s.

Studies show that some fluorochemicals may cause a range of health problems in rats, including liver damage, birth defects and cancer. But the health risk to humans is unclear.

Now, back to cookware.

At issue is whether humans are at risk from the chemical fumes given off when nonstick cookware is heated.

It’s long been known, for instance, that pet birds kept near the kitchen can be killed by "Teflon toxicosis" caused when they inhale fumes given off when Teflon-coated cookware is overheated or when Teflon-coated oven drip pans reach high temperatures. Information about this can be found on the web site of the manufacturer, DuPont, by clicking here.

As Jane Houlihan, a scientist with the Environmental Working Group has put it: "If these fumes from Teflon kill birds, what do they do to people?"

And that’s one of the questions the EPA is trying to answer as it accelerates its investigation into the matter.

DuPont says there is no evidence that the chemical it uses to make Teflon causes long-term adverse human health effects. The company does say that fumes given off when Teflon coating is overheated can cause flu-like symptoms, though they are only temporary.

Due to the complexity of assessing the risk posed by exposure to these chemicals, EPA expects to ask its scientific advisory board for additional input into its findings this fall.

For now, the EPA says it’s too early to advise consumers to toss out their nonstick cookware.

But what should you do in the meantime?

If you want to take some precautions, set aside your nonstick pots and pans for a while until the EPA has finished its study. There’s no need to throw them out.

You can keep foods from sticking to stainless steel cookware by using a few teaspoons of olive oil or canola oil on the bottom.

If you do use Teflon-coated cookware, don’t let it sit on the burner for long before adding food. Doing so may permit the temperature to rise high enough to emit chemical fumes. According to a study by a consumer advocacy group, nonstick cookware left empty on an electric stovetop set on high in three to five minutes reached temperatures that cause Teflon to release fumes.

Avoid cooking at high temperatures. Use low to medium temperatures instead.

And, don’t forget to keep your canary out of the kitchen.