Non-stick pans: how to tell if they're PFAS-free
Food — di Carlotta Garancini
As a German investigation revealed, whether or not non-stick pans contain PFAS isn't always clear. Teflon is safe, but attention must be paid to wear and overheating.
Non-stick pans: how to tell if they're PFAS-free
As a German investigation revealed, whether or not non-stick pans contain PFAS isn't always clear. Teflon is safe, but attention must be paid to wear and overheating.
How can you tell if a non-stick pan contains PFAS? A German market analysis by the North Rhine-Westphalia Consumer Centre examined 31 pans on sale online, for which it was not immediately clear how the non-stick effect was achieved.
For 13 pans, it was possible to determine the presence of PFAS by consulting websites, using available chatbots or reading the instruction manuals. For 18 pans, since there was no indication in the online shops as to whether or not PFAS were present in the coating, manufacturers or retailers were contacted. Ultimately, in five pans out of the total the type of coating remained uncertain; nine of the 31 pans turned out to be PFAS-free, while 17 had a PFAS-based coating.
Is Teflon harmful to health?
When it comes to non-stick pans and PFAS — "forever chemicals" that are not biodegradable — the discussion mainly concerns PTFE coatings (or Teflon™, the commercial brand name). The concerns surrounding this substance lie not so much in its use as a non-stick coating, but rather in the production and disposal processes. During the manufacture of PTFE, the industry uses fluorinated additives which, near production sites, can cause the contamination of water, soil and people. Disposal of the material can also be problematic: if PTFE is burned at temperatures below approximately 1,000°C, PFAS are released.
As reported by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), everyday use of PTFE pans is safe, provided they are used correctly. There are, in fact, two aspects to watch out for. The first: if a PTFE pan is heated on the hob while empty, the temperature can quickly exceed 360°C. The coating decomposes and releases toxic gases which, in humans, can cause flu-like symptoms. Second, the PTFE coating is susceptible to scratches and, during use of the pan, PTFE particles may be released. The effects on the body of infinitesimally small particles — microplastics and PTFE nanoplastics — have not yet been studied.
How to tell if non-stick pans contain PFAS
Returning to the original question: how can you tell whether the non-stick coating of a pan contains PTFE when its presence or absence is not specified? First of all, check whether there are labels such as "100% PTFE-free" or "PFAS-free", or whether any other information is available from the manufacturer. If there are no such indications and the instructions state that the pan must not be heated above 230°C or 260°C, PTFE is most likely present. Indications such as "use only silicone or wooden utensils" or "do not use metal spatulas" also very likely signal the presence of a PTFE layer.
You may sometimes read "PFOA-free" on the label. PFOA is a particularly toxic substance that was used by industry in the production of PTFE and is now banned in the European Union. Therefore, the label "PFOA-free" typically means that PFOA has been replaced by other fluorinated compounds, such as GenX. For the environment and health, the impact of these substitute substances — which are also fluorinated — remains equally critical. Pans that contain no PFAS whatsoever are instead marketed as "PFAS-free" or "fluorine-free".
As an alternative to non-stick pans, there are so-called ceramic pans: these may contain PTFE mixed with ceramic particles, so here too, if that is not the case, there should be labels such as "100% PTFE-free" or "PFAS-free".