Emilie Meyer
Nonstick pans coated with PFAS can be dangerous to health if heavily scratched or chipped, as small particles can flake off into the food you are making. PFAS is a chemical that has been phased out by most makers of nonstick pans, but older pans may still contain it. Two of the major PFAS of concern, PFOA and PFOS, haven’t been used to make polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) nonstick coatings since 2014. Newer nonstick coatings use different PFAS, and their health impacts are still being studied.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| PFAS | PFAS chemicals are used in nonstick coatings and can flake off into the food when the pan is scratched or chipped. |
| Microplastics | Scratched pans coated with PFAS chemicals can release thousands to millions of microplastics and nanoplastics. |
| PFOA | Most makers of nonstick pans have phased out the use of PFOA in their Teflon and any small bits that you have eaten will pass through your digestive tract. |
| Health Risks | Health risks from using a scratched nonstick pan are lower if the pan is used at the recommended low-heat temperatures. |
| Forever Chemicals | It can be very difficult for consumers to understand which pans have ‘forever chemical’ coatings. |
What You'll Learn
- Nonstick coating made without PFOAs presents no proven risks to humans
- PFAS chemicals in scratched pans release thousands to millions of microplastics
- Most makers of nonstick pans have phased out the use of PFOA
- Newer nonstick coatings use different PFAS, and their health impacts are still being studied
- When a nonstick pan made with PFAS is scratched or chipped, small particles can flake off into the food?
Nonstick coating made without PFOAs presents no proven risks to humans
Two of the major PFAS of concern, PFOA and PFOS, haven’t been used to make polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) nonstick coatings since 2014. Newer nonstick coatings use different PFAS, and their health impacts are still being studied, but so far they appear to be safer.
A 2022 study found that scratched pans coated with these chemicals release thousands to millions of microplastics and nanoplastics. You should avoid using any scratched or dented nonstick pan to avoid exposure to potentially toxic chemicals.
When a nonstick pan made with PFAS is scratched or chipped, small particles can flake off into the food you are making. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and EPA say exposure to PFAS at certain levels may be harmful to human health, but the effects of low levels of the chemicals are still unknown.
The FDA has published information on what is known so far on the safety of PFAs and research is ongoing to more fully understand the nature of those ingredients and how they impact the human body.
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PFAS chemicals in scratched pans release thousands to millions of microplastics
Nonstick coating made without PFOAs presents no proven risks to humans, according to the American Cancer Society, other than the chance of flu-like symptoms when breathing in fumes from heated cookware. However, when a nonstick pan made with PFAS is scratched or chipped, small particles can flake off into the food you are making.
Two of the major PFAS of concern, PFOA and PFOS, haven’t been used to make polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) nonstick coatings since 2014. Newer nonstick coatings use different PFAS, and their health impacts are still being studied, but so far they appear to be safer.
A 2022 study found that scratched pans coated with these chemicals release thousands to millions of microplastics and nanoplastics. You should avoid using any scratched or dented nonstick pan to avoid exposure to potentially toxic chemicals.
According to Scientific American, most makers of nonstick pans have phased out the use of PFOA in their Teflon, and any small bits that you have eaten will simply pass through your digestive tract. Also, even if you're using a super-old pan coated with PFOA-processed Teflon, there is still good news to be had. Joe Schwarcz, director of McGill University's Office for Science & Society, says that when it comes to toxins, the dosage is the key factor in poisoning. Schwartz even conducted an experiment with a heavily scratched cooking pan and analyzed its PFOA levels.
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Most makers of nonstick pans have phased out the use of PFOA
Two of the major PFAS of concern, PFOA and PFOS, haven’t been used to make polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) nonstick coatings since 2014. Newer nonstick coatings use different PFAS, and their health impacts are still being studied, but so far they appear to be safer.
A 2022 study found that scratched pans coated with these chemicals release thousands to millions of microplastics and nanoplastics. You should avoid using any scratched or dented nonstick pan to avoid exposure to potentially toxic chemicals. “It can be very difficult for consumers to understand which pans have ‘forever chemical’ coatings,” says Pelch.
According to the American Cancer Society, nonstick coating made without PFOAs presents no proven risks to humans, other than the chance of flu-like symptoms when breathing in fumes from heated cookware. When a nonstick pan made with PFAS is scratched or chipped, small particles can flake off into the food you are making.
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Newer nonstick coatings use different PFAS, and their health impacts are still being studied
Nonstick pans are made with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which is coated with PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). PFAS are chemicals that make nonstick cookware nonstick. Two of the major PFAS of concern, PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate), haven’t been used to make polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) nonstick coatings since 2014. Newer nonstick coatings use different PFAS, and their health impacts are still being studied.
Nonstick coating made without PFOAs presents no proven risks to humans, according to the American Cancer Society, other than the chance of flu-like symptoms when breathing in fumes from heated cookware. According to Scientific American, most makers of nonstick pans have phased out the use of PFOA in their Teflon, and any small bits that you have eaten will simply pass through your digestive tract. According to Dan Jones, associate director at the MSU Center for PFAS Research, different PFAS chemicals may have different levels of toxicity too. The problem is, we don’t know as much as we’d like to about all the different chemicals. The two best-studied PFAS, PFOA and PFOS, have been phased out of use, at least in the United States, but many others exist and remain in use, and their health effects are less well known.
A 2022 study found that scratched pans coated with these chemicals release thousands to millions of microplastics and nanoplastics. You should avoid using any scratched or dented nonstick pan to avoid exposure to potentially toxic chemicals. When a nonstick pan made with PFAS is scratched or chipped, small particles can flake off into the food you are making. According to Scientific American, most makers of nonstick pans have phased out the use of PFOA in their Teflon, and any small bits that you have eaten will simply pass through your digestive tract. According to Joe Schwarcz, director of McGill University's Office for Science & Society, when it comes to toxins, the dosage is the key factor in poisoning. Schwartz even conducted an experiment with a heavily scratched cooking pan and analyzed its PFOA levels.
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When a nonstick pan made with PFAS is scratched or chipped, small particles can flake off into the food
Nonstick coating made without PFOAs presents no proven risks to humans, according to the American Cancer Society, other than the chance of flu-like symptoms when breathing in fumes from heated cookware. However, when a nonstick pan made with PFAS is scratched or chipped, small particles can flake off into the food you are making.
Two of the major PFAS of concern, PFOA and PFOS, haven’t been used to make polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) nonstick coatings since 2014. Newer nonstick coatings use different PFAS, and their health impacts are still being studied, but so far they appear to be safer.
A 2022 study found that scratched pans coated with these chemicals release thousands to millions of microplastics and nanoplastics. You should avoid using any scratched or dented nonstick pan to avoid exposure to potentially toxic chemicals.
According to Scientific American, most makers of nonstick pans have phased out the use of PFOA in their Teflon, and any small bits that you have eaten will simply pass through your digestive tract. Also, even if you're using a super-old pan coated with PFOA-processed Teflon, there is still good news to be had. Joe Schwarcz, director of McGill University's Office for Science & Society, says that when it comes to toxins, the dosage is the key factor in poisoning. Schwartz even conducted an experiment with a heavily scratched cooking pan and analyzed its PFOA levels.
The pan didn't produce anywhere near the PFOA levels that would be needed to cause an adverse effect in even a 20-pound child. "So the bottom line here is that exposure to PFOA from a Teflon coated pan is insignificant," Schwartz confirmed.
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Frequently asked questions
The health risks from using a scratched nonstick pan are lower if the pan is used at the recommended low-heat temperatures. However, it depends on how scratched the pan is and how old your pan is. Two of the major PFAS of concern, PFOA and PFOS, haven’t been used to make polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) nonstick coatings since 2014. Newer nonstick coatings use different PFAS, and their health impacts are still being studied, but so far they appear to be safer.
The health risks from using a scratched nonstick pan are lower if the pan is used at the recommended low-heat temperatures. However, it depends on how scratched the pan is and how old your pan is. Two of the major PFAS of concern, PFOA and PFOS, haven’t been used to make polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) nonstick coatings since 2014. Newer nonstick coatings use different PFAS, and their health impacts are still being studied, but so far they appear to be safer.
A 2022 study found that scratched pans coated with these chemicals release thousands to millions of microplastics and nanoplastics. You should avoid using any scratched or dented nonstick pan to avoid exposure to potentially toxic chemicals.
According to Scientific American, most makers of nonstick pans have phased out the use of PFOA in their Teflon, and any small bits that you have eaten will simply pass through your digestive tract. Also, even if you're using a super-old pan coated with PFOA-processed Teflon, there is still good news to be had. Joe Schwarcz, director of McGill University's Office for Science & Society, says that when it comes to toxins, the dosage is the key factor in poisoning (via The Los Angeles Times). Schwartz even conducted an experiment with a heavily scratched cooking pan and analyzed its PFOA levels.
