Imagine preparing your favorite meal, only to discover that your trusty non-stick pan might be making you sick. This is the reality for many Americans, as last year, US poison centers reported 267 suspected cases of polymer fume fever, a rare flu-like illness caused by inhaling fumes from an overheated non-stick pan. Dubbed “Teflon flu” after the popular non-stick coating, these cases are among the highest reported since 2000, according to The Washington Post.
Non-stick cookware, including popular Teflon pans, is coated with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a type of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These notorious “forever chemicals” are known for their persistence in the environment and human body, taking centuries or even millennia to decompose. When PTFE-coated pans are heated beyond 500 degrees Fahrenheit (260 degrees Celsius), the coating begins to break down, releasing toxic clouds of smoke and fumes. This exposure can lead to “Teflon flu,” a condition that arises from inhaling these harmful fumes.
A German study highlighted that heating empty non-stick pans for 30 minutes results in increased PFAS emissions at higher temperatures. These PFAS have been linked to serious health issues, including cancer, infertility, and pregnancy complications. The global market for non-stick pans reflects their growing popularity, with a valuation of $1.7 billion in 2017, up from $1.3 billion in 2010, according to the Daily Mail. This trend suggests that as more consumers buy these pans, awareness of their potential risks becomes increasingly important.
Signs of polymer fume fever typically appear within a few hours of exposure but can sometimes take up to 24 hours to manifest. The condition presents with a range of symptoms, including chills, cough, chest tightness, difficulty breathing, headache, dizziness, fatigue, malaise, nausea, vomiting, and muscle and joint aches, Dr. Santosh Kumar Aggarwal, Senior Consultant in Internal Medicine at Marengo Asia Hospitals Faridabad, told The Times of India.
Fortunately, most individuals recover fully within a few days, with severe outcomes such as death or permanent disability being extremely rare. However, the condition is often underdiagnosed because its symptoms closely mimic those of the common cold or flu, making accurate identification challenging. Government data indicates that between 2006 and 2012, an average of nine cases per year were reported to US poison control centers.
Always heat your nonstick pans with butter, oil, or water in them to avoid overheating them and breaking down the chemicals within the coating. Secondly, use wooden or silicon ladles to prevent the coating from wearing off. Additionally, avoid stacking non-sticks over others to avoid rubbing and scrapping of coatings. Even small scratches or chipping in Teflon cookware can release high amounts of toxic fumes and harmful chemicals into food when cooked at a high temperature, India’s apex health body ICMR states.
Another way to avoid developing Teflon flu is to ventilate your kitchen as much as possible to get rid of fumes. “You shouldn’t be breathing that smoke no matter where it’s coming from,” Horowitz, of the Oregon-Alaska-Guam Poison Center told The Washington Post. Do not use your PTFE-containing nonstick pans for broiling or baking. Calphalon instructs that nonstick cookware is oven-safe up to 450 or 500 degrees Fahrenheit, making them unsuitable for high temperatures.
You can also opt for alternatives, such as mud pots. The Indian medical body ICMR in their “ Dietary Guidelines for Indians ”, called it one of the “safest” cookware. Not only does cooking in them require less oil, but they also largely retain the nutritional balance of food due to even heat distribution.
