Is your non-stick pan safe? What you need to know about the rising cases of ‘Teflon Flu’

If a non-stick pan coated with Teflon is overheated, it releases toxic fumes that cause polymer flu or Teflon flu.

Symptoms of Teflon flu include headaches, chills, fever, chest tightness, cough and sore throat.

Experts around the world are studying the effects of cooking in Teflon coated utensils on respiratory health as many cases have surfaced where patients have exhibited flu-like symptoms after inhaling polymer fumes.

Teflon utensils have gained acceptance and popularity worldwide due to the convenience they offer by not allowing the food to stick and the need to use less oil. Food cooked with less oil is healthier which is why conventional cookware is being replaced with Teflon coated pots and pans in almost every kitchen around the world.

A coating of a polymer called polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is applied to cookware to make it nonstick. This non-stick coating manufactured by Teflon is most widely used by utensil manufactures and hence the name has become synonymous with non-stick cookware. Although technically, it is called a polymer coating but for general purpose, it is often referred to as Teflon coating everywhere.

Is it Safe to Cook in Teflon Utensils?

Yes, experts say if non-stick cookware is handled with care, there should be no reason to worry. However, the non-stick coating of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) starts emitting harmful fumes if heated above 500 degrees Fahrenheit or 260 degrees Celsius.

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Hence care should be taken to never overheat non-stick cookware, especially by not letting them overheat without any food or oil in them. According to many reports, non-stick cookware should not be used for more than five years as beyond this period the coating starts to wear off and starts releasing harmful fumes when heated.

5 ways to make cooking with Teflon with safe

• Glaze your cookware with oil, butter or any other medium before heating them. Putting a dry, empty Teflon pan on a high heat can cause the cookware to become overheated quickly and release harmful fumes.
• Ensure proper ventilation while cooking with non-stick cookware to let off any harmful gases that the Teflon coating might have emitted
• Use Teflon friendly accessories like ladles, spoons and spatulas. Using metallic objects can scrap the coating, causing it to start flaking. This will result in faster degradation of the coating, causing it to emit harmful fumes and making food stick.
• Use Safer Alternatives – Consider using safer alternative to Teflon such as stoneware, utensils made of cast iron, ceramics or stainless steel.
• Don’t Use Beyond 5 Years – Non-stick cookware has a safe life of about five years. Ensure not to use your Teflon cookware beyond five years as the coating starts to degrade and emit fumes.

Taking these precautions can let you enjoy the benefits of cooking with Teflon utensils without worrying about the harmful effects as mentioned above.

Disclaimer: This article is based on reports available in public domain and is meant for general information only. We neither claim expertise in this field nor guarantee the accuracy of the facts provided here. Please consult an expert or a healthcare professional for further information before acting on the basis of the information provided in this article.