I myself am no longer one of the youngest and a lot of my household goods have been around for years. For example, I have a set of enamelled pans from which pieces of the enamel layer have disappeared. Is it bad if a piece comes loose and you swallow it? And can rust leave harmful substances in the food?
E. van Bruggen-Bakker
Patricia Schutte, nutritionist
If your pans have minor signs of wear, you don’t have to buy new ones immediately. If a very small piece of material accidentally ends up in the food, it can do little harm. But prevention is always better of course.
If your pans have more damage and there is a danger of pieces coming loose, it is better not to use them anymore. Enamel consists of glass mass mixed with colored metal compounds. If a larger splinter ends up in your food and you ingest it, it could potentially damage your mouth, esophagus, or gut.
Especially in cast iron pans, some rust can sometimes form. Although a little bit of rust is not harmful to your health, you can wash a pan with some rust spots before use. That way you limit the possible intake of rust through your food. If a pan is clearly damaged by rust, you should no longer use it.
Do you also have a question? Then ask one of our experts. Always go to your doctor with urgent questions, the experts are not the right person for that. They don’t diagnose either. The other conditions can be found here.
Patricia Schutte has been working as an information officer at the Nutrition Center in The Hague for more than 25 years. She answers questions about healthy, sustainable and safe food.