Your Health and Teflon Coating on Pans, Pots, Air Fryers

There's been a lot of videos online recently about the dangers of Teflon where in laboratory animals, PFOA has been shown cause cancer, liver damage, growth defects, immune-system damage and death.

They say its ok if its non-disturbed, meaning when you clean it, clean it gently, never scrub/scrape etc and we should not have it in our homes? should only be stainless steel ..

Wanted to see everyone's thoughts on it. Why is it still being sold if its so dangerous how does it remain unregulated?

Comments

  • +8

    about the dangers of Teflon where in laboratory animals

    also, lots of research showing it is safe

    • +5

      Um, sure, then why are companies now discontinuing use of forever chemicals and governments implementing limits? Even 3M has said they will discontinue forever chemicals by 2025, see https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2022/12/20/3m-will…

      Also, as proof that forever chemicals cause cancer see this one among many other such articles, it's a huge issue in the firefighter world. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-26/mick-tisbury-12-year-…

      • +2

        Also, as proof that forever chemicals cause cancer see this one among many other such articles

        So he's been exposed to all sorts of burning chemicals, but it must be PFAS? I'm not saying it wasn't PFAS, but what happens inevitably is that people want something they can point to to blame, and everyone knows about PFAS, so its the obvious one to blame to get your case into the media. As in I've had covid, now months later I'm suffering these symptoms, and the media's looking for stories about long covid victims, so it must be real and this must be it.

        Disclosure: I'm part of a PFAS groundwater contamination class action law suit. So I've looked at the evidence. And I'm not particular convinced. The smoke off a single unextinguished military aircraft fire at the local RAAF base would probably have done me more harm than minuscule traces of PFAS in the groundwater under my property. But when everyone else in my area is likely going to get a payout, why shouldn't I get it too.

        • I don't think it's ever really definitive to point to any specific cause of an individual case of cancer because cancer takes time to develop, and many things are linked to cancer. However, in cases like the above where many firefighters are exposed to a chemical that is likely to cause cancer and statistically higher than normal occurrences of cancer do occur, then it's about that common denominator.

          They can lead to health problems such as kidney and liver damage, thyroid disease, fertility issues and cancer.

          And the studies show while things like BPA's (which is another thing people avoid) stay in the body for up to 18hours, forever chemicals stay in the body for 3+ years! That's a long time for the body to deal with toxic substances!

          • @reactor-au:

            in cases like the above where many firefighters are exposed to a chemical that is likely to cause cancer and statistically higher than normal occurrences of cancer do occur

            The point is that these days firefighters are exposed to lots of really nasty chemicals that are likely to cause cancer. What would be indicative that its PFAS that's the one would be that any increase in cancer was limited to those who used PFAS. I'd welcome being pointed to a study that shows that.

    • +2

      Just use ceramic/stainless steel/cast iron pans.

      Easy.

      • +1

        You'd need a compelling reason not to.

  • +8

    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. Particles of flaked or chipped pans that find themselves in food pass through your digestive system don’t pose any health risks.

    https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/is-teflon-coating-safe

    • +1

      they say its safe when not disturbed, but when its disturbed; scratched, scraped, flaking, it poses alot of dangers?

      • +4

        many things are unsafe if not used correctly.

      • +6

        Particles of flaked or chipped pans that find themselves in food pass through your digestive system don’t pose any health risks.

      • -2

        NRA in yank land says guns are the best deterrent for other people with guns and as it's from yank land it must be the truth.

      • Stay away from water. It's fine if you sit in it or drink it, but if you inhale it then it "poses alot of dangers?"

    • +1

      Same thing they probably said when they started using asbestos and ddt.

      • That was a long time ago…

        These products have been tested for decades now and a deemed safe.

        • +2

          Asbestos was an even longer time ago: Archaeological studies have found evidence of asbestos being used as far back as the Stone Age to strengthen ceramic pots

        • and now companies now discontinuing use of forever chemicals and governments implementing limits, whats that tell you?

          • @johnfuller:

            whats that tell you?

            supply vs demand

            • @jv: no, thats not how supply and demand works

              • @johnfuller:

                thats not how supply and demand works

                Yes it is… Economics 101

                • @jv: not sure where you studied economics lol but thats dodgy

                  • @johnfuller:

                    where you studied economics lol but thats dodgy

                    Jim Chalmers school of Economics

  • +9

    This is very doge OP.

    New account, spouting like this is a new thing and just in lab animals.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfluorooctanoic_acid#Health_…

    • not new
    • it's bad
    • Non stick sucks anyway
    • PFOA, PFAS and GenX are all C8s

    GenX is what https://www.tefal.com.au/cookware-commitments claims "PTFE" which is a PFAS.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polytetrafluoroethylene

    • New account

      john fuller it ???

      • Oh I forgot sometimes it's called PFOS too.

    • +1

      New account

      FYI not that new

      Member Since
      09/09/2022

    • +6

      OP is stainless steel pan sales person?

    • Yeah, another BS 'new' account trying to dredge up a done and dusted topic. Teflon has been around for what, 40 years? It's been debated for decades, nothing 'recent' about it and nothing posted here will sway anyone else's opinion.

      • +10

        asbestos was around also for how long before they realized the dangers?

        • +2

          You seriously saying that concerns about teflon are 'recent' ?

          What's new?

          • @rumblytangara: Don't put words in ppls mouths.

            OP didn't say that concerns were recent at all. OP said that there had been 'a lot of videos online about the dangers of Teflon '.

            Do you have any thoughts on OPs posed question?

            • +2

              @cookie2: It's literally in the first sentence:

              "There's been a lot of videos online recently about the dangers of Teflon where in laboratory animals, PFOA"

              I have had many thoughts on the subject as I run hobbyist machines that use PTFE at high temperatures. But I'm not going to discus it on what is an obvious troll thread that flogs a dead horse.

              Anyone seriously concerned has a decades of of credible material to decide on. Talking about it here is just trying to stir shit, so I'm not going to play.

              If there's one thing I've noticed on this forum I'm the short time I've been here, it's the vast number of "L" accounts that post up obvious troll 'questions'. I first notified it with the guy who keeps posting diatribes against speed limits.

        • +2

          You would have been better highlighting the current concerns around PFAS in lycra.

          • @Lord Fart Bucket: Stop eating it

            • +2

              @deme: I never ate it. Have a read of this

              I worked at this plant for about a year. I was in the lab on the top floor, testing the base chemicals… Luckily i didn't work there for a long time.

        • False equivalencies have been around for how long and you still don't know what one is?

      • Did you miss me saying:

        • not new
        • it's bad
        • Non stick sucks anyway
        • PFOA, PFAS and GenX are all C8s
        • I'm pretty sure that I was agreeing with you…

          • @rumblytangara: Sorry I'm the stupid one then :)

            • @deme: Mate, the "reply" setup and indentation on this forum confuses the crap out of me, so half the time I am not even sure that I am replying to the right comments. So it could just be me.

    • +3

      i wasnt taking aim at teflon, or any other manufacturer, but some of the non-stick methods / chemicals seems to be dangerous to our health which is what i was outlining

      • -1

        Did you miss me saying:

        • not new
        • it's bad
        • Non stick sucks anyway
        • PFOA, PFAS and GenX are all C8s
        • alot of people dont know its bad.

  • +10

    I switched to stainless steel for the sole purpose of being able to put it in the dishwasher.

    • -6

      It's not a dish though.

    • -3

      Stainless steel is bad because it can't use induction

      Gas is like lighting a cigarette

    • +8

      I put non stick in the dishwasher like a madman.

      • +1

        Are you not supposed to? Been putting ours in for years. Does it kill the coating eventually?

        • +1

          Myth: Nonstick-coated pans cannot be put in the dishwasher. Fact: If a pan has Teflon™ nonstick coatings and is from a reputable manufacturer, it can be put in the dishwasher.

    • My dishwasher can't remove slightly burnt-on food (eg egg) from my stainless steel pan unfortunately

      • Makes it easier to clean it though. I just take it out and gently use a metal scourer with some water.

  • +2

    I've been looking for something that doesn't cause cancer…

    Every time I think I've found something, I look harder and someone, somewhere has some "research" that shows it does cause cancer.

    But I can't just not eat, so I guess that I'll eventually just die from cancer.

      • It's almost pointless because if the pots and pans are okay, someone's going to come up with a way to link the food to cancer.

        • -2

          Stop eating crap then

        • someone's going to come up with a way to link the food to cancer.

          Yeah, the people who sell the real cancer causing stuff.

          When you can't convince people your stuff is safe, you convince them that everything else is just as dangerous. Stick with cast iron

    • +6

      I've been looking for something that doesn't cause cancer…

      Apparently everyone who has or had cancer can all be linked back to drinking water.

      • +11

        Damn that dihydrogen monoxide

      • It's more like… everyone that has had cancer can be linked by the air that they've breathed.

      • +6

        The situation is much worse than that. Every single death in history can be linked back to drinking water.

        • +1

          Or, not drinking it also. Guaranteed death.

          May as well just enjoy your teflon pan for a few weeks until it's no longer non-stick.

  • +3

    There's been a lot of videos online recently

    OP doesn't post sources. OP doesn't reply to any points in thread.

  • +1

    Yo OP, use wooden not metal spatula.

    • -4

      yeah i dunno man, i give up

  • +2

    Yes it's poison, just like a thousand other things. Research Merchants of Doubt & you might start to appreciate the bigger picture. It's just the tip of the iceberg.

    I would avoid it & anything else claiming to be non stick.

    There are many other safer materials to use.

  • +1

    As a bowel cancer survivor my colorectal surgeon is adamant that Teflon coatings are the reason for the increase in the number of bowel cancer patients that she sees.

    We still use Teflon coated cookware……I'm here for a good time, not a long time. You would lead a very boring life if you eliminated all the possible causes of cancer.

    • +5

      Not western society’s massive shift to highly processed foods?

  • +10

    I don't get my health information from videos. I prefer to get it from the World Health Organisation (WHO). WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer(IARC) spends decades gathering and analysing all the known data before it forms its opinion.

    The substances you most need to worry about are those in IARC's "Group 1 carcinogens" list. These are substances that are definitely carcinogenic. The list includes alcoholic beverages, diesel engine exhaust, processed meat, and many others, but it does not include PTFE-coated cookware (Teflon).

    Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which is no longer used in the manufacture of PTFE-coated cookware, is considered "possibly carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2B).

    • +2

      Just way too much sensibility here. This thread really wanted more FUD, don't clog it up with actual sense and facts.

  • +3

    Most non-stick like Tefal has 175° cooking temp limit which can be exceeded easily.

    • I’ve heard of this temperature limit. You have sources?

  • +5

    I think we need a new Ozb rule, No new forum threads from L platers.

    • +3

      Just out of interest, how does a user lose their L plate?

      • +3

        The same way you lose your virginity. Back alley with Mod.

        • +2

          Fair enough. I guess at least I get to pick the venue.

  • +1

    If you don't have teflon in your blood then you're not doing enough home cooking/not attending enough dinner parties.

  • +1

    Wife uses wok for everything. Hope carbon okay for health.

    We use a SS pressure cooker.

    Air fryer is unfortunately teflon coated - just rinse clean of crumbs, etc.

    • Air fryers should be one of the safer items as you can;t heat them up high enough for the teflon to break down - scratching is a different thing. Frying pans are most likely the highest risk of both overheating and scratching.

      • how does cooking temp works ?

        if set 200C , does oil amplifies the heat above 200C ?

      • Being male, I do most of the cooking I do in a air fryer. It has no teflon in/on it. Its a glass bowl, with metal top. Only time I use a teflon coated saucepan is when I'm heating up a can of something to go on toast. I have recently been diagnosed with colon cancer. What can I blame?

  • +1

    Premature deaths from eating excessive sugars and byproducts vs Teflon is like a trillion to one.

    • -1

      So ignore the risk from one and not the other?

      • Good place to start is Dr Hanson on youtube.
        Some quacks have a vested interest on getting more patients.
        Cookware is so cheap and yes if you cook with gas and overheat Teflon then it is your fault. We cook with induction on controlled heat. If a pot accidentally burns it gets recycled!

  • +6

    great movie about this called 'dark waters'

    • +3

      After watching the movie. I got rid of all our Teflon cookware.

    • +6

      I was here to comment exactly this. After watching that and further researching, i have been much more suss about cooking materials in general. And while I often refer to what is 'known' or 'suspected carcinogens' but peak bodies, I'm also aware that we often find out about negative health impacts later on.

      So I'd again tell everyone to watch Dark Waters if you're at all interested.

      And while I still use non stick I use what I perceive to be better quality brands that keep the coating longer, i try not to overheat, get rid of when scratched, don't leave spatulas in pot/pans when on heat and use cast iron wok and flat plate for hi temp cooking or s/s.

      It works for me and makes me feel more comfortable about the balance between convenience and possible health risk minimisation.

      In saying that, our bodies will probably have more plastic than blood one day but hey, unless you just want to give up and wonder when you get cancer if you could've done anything differently, may as well try instead of putting my head in the sand.

    • -2

      I filter my water and do not smoke. But mum came from a farm and we had to eat what was grown there so sugar is probably taking more years off my life. Mum's farm also had a restaurant, smoking French cigars and lots of Gauloises cigarettes made mum experience a premature death from passive smoking.
      Americans are the biggest liars: Put lead into fuel, kill millions with it along reducing humanities IQ's and at the end they blame Volkswagen for a bit of Nox.
      Australia's air quality is shit, full of diesel fumes, Europe has cracked down, Germany gone nuts asking for a green enviro sticker on every electric car.

      • Diesel cars & trucks are far more prevalent, and have been for far longer, in Europe than Australia.

        • They made diesel more expensive to discourage its use. The 2l diesel cars here have to be sold as 1.6l in France else pay a huge tax. Many cities have a congestion charge like London @ 15 Pounds a day. Norway got rich from oil but now is the fastest in EV changeover. Their extensive tunnel network is free for EV drivers. Teflon is hardly a topic anywhere in Europe a movie will just dramatize on how corrupt the legal system is in the US.

          • -1

            @payless69: They might be discouraging use now, but trying to say Australia’s air quality is bad due to diesels, whilst talking up Europe, is nonsense.

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