Nonstick Cookware Build Material

Nonstick cookware, including pans, saucepans, milk pans, and frying pans, are typically made with aluminum and coated with Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or simply Teflon. Non-Teflon, nonstick pans aren’t as common; Ceramic is a prime example, but like the others, it loses its nonstick abilities quicker than Teflon.

Teflon is a synthetic chemical consisting of Carbon and Fluorine atoms. It dates back to the 1930s, and the technique for applying it in cookware has improved.

Teflon pots have an almost frictionless, nonreactive surface, hence the ease with which you can flip some typically sticky foods like pancakes, crepes, delicately browned fish fillet, tender skate wings and omelets. Here is the big draw; who wants half of their well-thought-out, gourmet, home-cooked meal stuck to the bottom of a pan? Not to mention a grueling cleaning exercise afterward?

One more thing, Teflon-coated cookware will help you survive economically trying times as you need relatively less oil or butter to cook and fry food.

Are Scratched or Chipped Nonstick Cookware Safe to Use?

The safety of nonstick pots has been under investigation for the past decade. The concerns are about perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a chemical that was used in the production of nonstick cookware until 2013. Overheating Teflon is also a safety concern that the investigations have looked into.

Another concern, which luckily is a thing of the past, is the possibility of ingesting Teflon coating if it flakes off the pan when cooking. Even though eating a flake would not be harmful now, it is nearly impossible as manufacturers have perfected the technique of bonding Teflon to the pan so it can’t flake off.

All Teflon products in the market today are PFOA-free. According to a PubMed Central research report, Teflon-coated cookware has insignificant PFOA exposure. While a significant amount of the chemical was normally burned at high temperatures during manufacturing, only small amounts were left in the final product. Nonetheless, the chemical was found in the blood of 98% of people who participated in the 1999 to 2000 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

PFOA’s health risks include; infertility and low birth rate, testicular cancer, thyroid disorders, liver disease, and chronic kidney disease.

In 2006, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched a PFOA stewardship program to eliminate the use of PFOA in Teflon products. Virtually all the leading PFOA companies, including Teflon manufacturers were involved in the program with the primary goal of limiting PFOA exposure through total elimination by 2015.

The companies met their targets and produced PFOA-free Teflon products by 2013. Technically, if your nonstick pots or pans are about to have their 11^th or 12^th anniversary, they make the list of things that could possibly kill you.

Besides PFOA, other substances in Teflon products may pose health risks like Polyfluoroalkyl (PFAs). Unlike PFOAs, there is limited information about PFAs and how they impact the human body. Until the research is done and there is enough knowledge about the nature of fluoropolymers in Teflon products and their health risks, no one can claim that chipped, Teflon-coated, nonstick cookware is carcinogenic or unhealthy.

That said, you can worry about other things like the current economic doom, but not how your chipped nonstick pans will be the end of you. Realistically, though, why not just let the pots go? Your omelet is not that perfect anymore, no?

Is there Danger in Heating Empty Nonstick Cookware?

Teflon is safe and stable until you expose it to extremely high temperatures. The Teflon coatings on a nonstick pot will disintegrate and release toxic fumes into the air if heated at temperatures about 500 degrees Fahrenheit or 260 degrees Celsius. The fumes are harmful and cause the Polymer fume fever, commonly known as the Teflon flu.

The symptoms for Teflon flu include; fever, headache, chills, and body aches, pretty much like real flu. You may experience the symptoms after 4 to 10 hours of exposure, but unlike the common flu, they will resolve in less than 48 hours.

Furthermore, studies show that extended exposure to fumes from overcooked Teflon cookware can cause serious health issues like lung damage.

Unless you leave your Teflon-coated cookware unattended on the fire, chances of getting Teflon flu are low. You will hardly get to over 500 degrees Fahrenheit during cooking.

How Often to Replace Nonstick Cookware

How often? Well, it all depends on you. A chef who uses his nonstick pan to cook up to 200 orders of sunny-side-up eggs daily will replace their pan more often than someone who uses their kitchen twice a month. Nevertheless, you should expect at least 5 years of service from your nonstick cookware if you take good care of it.

Replace your nonstick pan if;

• It is more than 8 years since the date of purchase.

Standard practice is replacing nonstick cookware every 5 years, but those from before 2015 are a special case. Remember, PFOA-free cookware were first produced in 2013; this means that nonstick pans that date back to 2015 and earlier may be harmful. Plus, the pans are likely chipped and less efficient.

• The coating is scratched or chipped

Scratched or chipped nonstick cookware is no longer a health risk, at least for pans produced after 2015. However, damage to the cookware’s surface means it has lost its nonstick abilities and no longer serves its purpose. If you can’t make perfect pancakes on the pan like you used to, it’s time to retire it.

• It has light or dark spots

An old nonstick pan or skillet with scratches will discolor and get light or dark spots from food buildup. Again, it is safe to use a nonstick pot with discoloration; however, you should take it as a warning that the coating is coming off and get a replacement.

• You see rust

Rust should be an alarm enough to make you replace your worn-out nonstick cookware. The metal beneath the coating gets exposed when the coating wears off and can rust depending on the material used. You will not drop dead from consuming small amounts of rust, but your food will taste like death.

Pro Tip: Thick-bottomed, non-sick saute, stock, and saucepans are nice, necessary things to have. However, you don’t have to buy them new even if longevity is your key concern. What many people don’t know is that most pans sold for home use are dangerously flimsy. You may be willing to spend big buck on the heavyweight models made for serious home cooks, but if your pockets are not that deep, consider buying professional quality pots from a restaurant that’s gone out of business. You can check Facebook Marketplace for a restaurant selling kitchen equipment near you. For a business that has a failure rate of over 60% you cannot miss someone selling professional quality kitchen stuff cheaply near you. 

How to Care for Nonstick Cookware

Your nonstick pans will last longer if you treat them right. Here is a longevity guide that every expert swears by;

Hand-wash the nonstick cookware before use

The first critical thing to do after unwrapping your brand-new set of non-tick pans is to wash with hot soapy water. The washing will remove all residues, oils, and dirt they collected from manufacturing and shipping. Unlike other types of cookware, nonstick does not need priming or curing before using. Hand-washing cuts it.

Save the coating with safer utensils

Some manufacturers claim that you can use metallic utensils with their nonstick pans and pots. If I were you, I would not risk it because metal utensils come in different forms; some have sharp ends that could scratch your pan’s coatings. A small scratch is enough to ruin your nonstick pan in no time. Safer alternatives would be wooden cooking spoons and sticks, heat-resistant plastic, and silicone spatulas.

Ignore the manufacturer and use some oil

Some nonstick brands market their products as no-oil or no-grease to attract health-conscious customers. Add oil, butter, or margarine to the pan before browning to prevent food from sticking. Avoid cooking spray at all costs because, ironically, it makes food stick. It contains a substance called Lecithin which is harmless on other types of cookware but sticks onto Teflon’s surface and builds up until it becomes hard to remove.

Avoid abrasive cleaning tools

Tools like steel wool, scouring pads, and stiff scrubbing brushes will scrape of the nonstick coating. A soft cloth or sponge should do. If the pan has any stubborn residue, soak it with warm soapy water for a few hours, then give it a quick, gentle scrub.

Do not overheat the pans

Sticking to low and medium heat when cooking will help your nonstick pans last longer. Remember, at 500 degrees Fahrenheit; you will inhale potentially dangerous fumes from your Teflon pan. Although reaching such a high heat level on your stove is highly unlikely, try to be safe with safe practices, like turning on the burner only when you have oil, water, or food on the pan.

Nonstick Cookware- Bottom Line

All considered, nonstick cookware is one of the best human inventions. They suit our contemporary lifestyles well. Will you get cancer from you scratched or chipped nonstick cookware? No. There is no science to back such ludicrous claims. Plus, all nonstick cookware produced after 2015 are PFOA-free, thus posing zero health risks unless you overheat them at extremely high temperatures of over 500 degrees Fahrenheit.