Over time, it is normal for pots and pans to deteriorate. A recent UK study, however, warned of the health hazards of Teflon utensils when damaged as they could release PFAS into food.
- Teflon utensils tend to deteriorate quickly and become marked with nicks or scratches.
- A damaged Teflon pan could release 9,000 plastic particles into food.
It is a real ally in the kitchen: the Teflon pan or saucepan. A Teflon utensil has a non-stick coating that prevents food from sticking to its surface. However, this type of container spoils quickly.
Teflon: 9,000 plastic particles released in the event of a scratch
Researchers from Newcastle University and Flinders University (UK) recently revealed that a scratch or crack in the coating of a Teflon utensil could release thousands of plastic particles. The conclusions of their work have been published in the journal Science of The Total Environment.
For the purposes of the research, the British scientists used Raman imaging which provides very detailed images to observe various Teflon surfaces which had been damaged. According to their results, a single scratch on a Teflon pot or pan could release more than 9,000 plastic particles.
PFAS: “these microparticles in our food could constitute a health problem”
Teflon is part of the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) family which includes different chemicals that are potentially dangerous when ingested. “Since PFAS are of great concern, the presence of these Teflon microparticles in our food could pose a health concern and therefore needs to be investigated, as we don’t know much about these new contaminants,” underlined Doctor Cheng Fang, co-author of the study and researcher at the University of Newcastle, in a statement.
For Professor Youhong Tang, co-author of the study and researcher at Flinders University, we must protect ourselves from the dangers of plastic debris from Teflon pans and saucepans. “This study tells us that we need to be careful in the selection of utensils and their use in order to avoid food contamination”he said before adding: “Further research is needed, however, to assess the risks of Teflon microplastics and nanoplastics.”
