Have you ever heard of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFAS)? Behind this barbaric name actually hides a family of around 4,700 synthetic molecules, used in industry for their physicochemical properties of resistance to high heat, acids, water and fats.
Problem: in addition to being extremely dangerous for the environment (they are often called “perennial pollutants” because they degrade very difficult in water, land and air), PFAS could harm our health. Thus, for several years, scientific studies have affirmed that prolonged exposure to these artificial molecules could promote the appearance of chronic diseases – diabetes, obesity, cancers, endocrine disorders, etc.
PFAS-free non-stick pans exist!
And there is another problem: as health authorities explain, PFAS are present in everyday products – they are found in certain wrapping papers, in certain emulsifiers, and even in certain kitchen utensils since they are part of the composition of Teflon, this non-stick coating which is found at the bottom of certain pans.
A new study, carried out by researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (in the United States), has just found a link between exposure to PFAS and thyroid cancer. To do this, American researchers studied blood plasma samples taken from 88 patients with thyroid cancer and 88 healthy patients.
Verdict? Scientists found that people who had traces of n-PFOS (a molecule from the PFAS family) in their blood had an increased risk of around 56% of developing thyroid cancer.
Conclusion ? For cooking, choose non-stick pans marked “PFAS-free” or “PFOA-free”. A guarantee of health safety.
Source : The Lancet
