Don't Get Hit By the Pots and Pans
Posted by
Heather J.
Reports are swirling on the potential dangers of using pots and pans. Not as weapons, although that might cause some serious harm (!), but as cooking utensils that purportedly seep metal into our food. Recent studies confirm that most metal cookware doesn’t leech harmful chemicals, but nonstick pans might yield different results. Nonstick pan coating (Teflon) contains perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) that’s considered a “likely carcinogen” by the EPA’s Scientific Advisory Board. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, studies suggest PFOA can cause cancer in animals and might be hazardous to humans. While EPA officials give Teflon the official ok for cooking, it’s wise to stay in a ventilated area when using nonstick cookware, don’t let pots and pans get so hot that the coating breaks down, because this releases fumes that can cause flu-like symptoms and possibly kill house pets and birds. Also, don’t use pans that have started flaking, which can cause even higher emissions.
Don't Get Hit By the Pots and Pans
Posted by Heather J.
Reports are swirling on the potential dangers of using pots and pans. Not as weapons, although that might cause some serious harm (!), but as cooking utensils that purportedly seep metal into our food. Recent studies confirm that most metal cookware doesn’t leech harmful chemicals, but nonstick pans might yield different results. Nonstick pan coating (Teflon) contains perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) that’s considered a “likely carcinogen” by the EPA’s Scientific Advisory Board. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, studies suggest PFOA can cause cancer in animals and might be hazardous to humans. While EPA officials give Teflon the official ok for cooking, it’s wise to stay in a ventilated area when using nonstick cookware, don’t let pots and pans get so hot that the coating breaks down, because this releases fumes that can cause flu-like symptoms and possibly kill house pets and birds. Also, don’t use pans that have started flaking, which can cause even higher emissions.