Does cooking with a non-stick pan cause cancer?

For those who like to cook at home, non-stick pans are simply magical tools. However, it is said online that cooking with non-stick pans can cause cancer. Is this true? Can non-stick pans still be used?

A non-stick pan has a coating with an extremely low friction coefficient and surface energy on the inner surface of the pan, making it difficult for food to adhere, so food is not easy to stick to the pan.

At present, the non-stick pan products on the market mainly use polytetrafluoroethylene coating, that is, Teflon. This coating has stable physical and chemical properties and has corrosion resistance and high temperature resistance.

The safety of non-stick pan coatings was debated many years ago, and the core of the debate was related to Teflon coating.

Is Teflon really carcinogenic? Teflon is a polymer and is not toxic in itself, but when used at too high a temperature, it can cause the polymer to decompose and release toxic substances. However, the "too high temperature" here refers to 260℃ or even above 350℃.

Generally speaking, Teflon coatings that meet national standards are safe when used correctly.

The melting point of Teflon is about 327℃. It can withstand high temperatures of 300℃ for a short period of time and can be used for a long time below 260℃. The oil temperature for daily cooking is generally below 150℃, and even the temperature in a stir-fry pan is generally only around 200℃, which is far below the limit of 260℃. Therefore, the risk of non-stick pans releasing harmful substances due to high-temperature decomposition is very small and there is no need to worry too much.

If the coating accidentally falls off during cooking and is eaten, will it cause poisoning? No. As one of the most chemically inert and non-toxic substances, Teflon does not react with human tissues, and even if trace amounts of coating particles are ingested, there will be no harm.

What is the connection between the non-stick pan carcinogenicity rumored on the Internet? In the production and manufacturing process of Teflon, a processing aid called perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is used. This substance has a certain risk of carcinogenesis. Studies have shown that perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) may be associated with testicular cancer, kidney cancer, thyroid disease, ulcerative colitis and other diseases.

However, non-stick pan coatings launched after 2012 no longer use this substance, so you can use non-stick pans with confidence.

In daily life, how to properly use and clean non-stick pans for cooking food are all classified as "food contact materials and products". The country has a series of special management standards for such products, including the national food safety standard "General Safety Requirements for Food Contact Materials and Products" (GB4806.1), "Metallic Materials and Products for Food Contact" (GB4806.9), "Paints and Coatings for Food Contact" (GB4806.10), etc.

Regardless of the material of the pot, it needs to follow the general safety requirements: "When in contact with food under the recommended conditions of use, the level of substances migrating into food should not be harmful to human health."

In addition, in the specific standards for each material, the state has more detailed regulations for the safety issues that are prone to exist in that material. Therefore, the safety of qualified cookware products that meet national standards is guaranteed, and consumers do not need to worry.

In addition, when using a non-stick pan, be careful not to dry-burn it. Dry-burning temperatures can reach over 350°C, and Teflon will begin to decompose. To avoid scratching the coating, be careful not to use a hard shovel such as iron, steel or aluminum, but a wooden or plastic shovel; do not use steel wool when cleaning. Once you find that the coating has fallen off, you can consider replacing the pan.

In short, no matter what material the pot is made of, as long as it is a regular and qualified product, the country has strict controls on substances that are known to be harmful to health, and consumers can use it with confidence.