The issue with select bakeware products…
Nonstick bakeware helps with cleanup and allows bakegoods to magically detach from the pan. Yep, you’ll use less oils. Yep, cleanup is a breeze.
However, despite all this, nonstick bakeware is toxic to our health. Nonstick cookware included, nonstick bakeware is glazed with a material called polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). You may also know PTFE as Teflon which is the brand name formulas for nonstick coating.
This non-stick PTFE nonstick coasting contains toxic chemicals such as Perfluorooctanioic acid (PFOA or C8) and Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). These chemicals are linked to causing some irreversible and ongoing toxic health effects like:
- thyroid disorders
- cancer
- decreased fertility
- growth changes
- learning and developmental issues
Babies and children are the most vulnerable to the fumes.
High cooking temperatures (above 500°F), the PTFE nonstick coating breaks down and release toxic fumes and chemicals into the air or into the food. This also happens if an empty pan is left on a burner.
You’ll see that many manufacturers are starting “leave out” PFOA, PFOS and PTFE. Manufacturers are replacing it with other materials like GenX.
GenX is a successor to PFOA, formerly used by DuPont to make Teflon. PFOA has been linked to cancer in people and to the reduced effectiveness of childhood vaccines and other serious health problems at even the smallest doses. However, it could be as toxic as PFOS and PFOA. So, even though a bakeware product says it’s PFOA or PFOS free, it doesn’t mean it is safe from toxic chemicals.
Because of the inconclusive evidence of the next generation non-stick bakeware, I would not recommend any nonstick bakeware. Glass, aluminum
Here’s a quick list of recommend bakeware products:
For a complete list of bakeware options, please check out my shop.
References:
EPA: GenX Nearly as Toxic as Notorious Non-Stick Chemicals It Replaced