Is Nonstick Cookware Safe?

Teaching Assistant Professor David Nadler, Ph.D., is quoted in an NBC.com article about nonstick cookware and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as “forever chemicals.” As he explained, PFAS are a group of chemicals used to make fluoropolymer coatings and products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease, and water. While PFAS exposure has been linked to certain health effects, Nadler, an environmental health expert, notes that the tiny concentrations of PFAS consumers are exposed to through nonstick cookware are a drop in the bucket compared to other toxins they encounter daily. However, he still advises consumers not to use metal utensils on nonstick cookware, as metal can scratch surfaces and transfer chemicals to food. He also advised against heating nonstick cookware over 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

“When we use nonstick cookware at normal temperatures, the PFAS are relatively inert, but the hotter it gets, the more that stuff can start fuming out of the pan,” says Nadler. “Then there’s potential to breathe it in, and some vapors are potentially seeping into food, so you’re ingesting them. If you’re cooking at lower temperatures, there’s still some risk potential, but it’s not as great.”