Posted on 01/26/2007 3:42:45 PM PST by blam
Heating releases cookware chemicals
Janet Raloff
Nonstick coatings on fry pans and microwave-popcorn bags can, when heated, release traces of potentially toxic perfluorinated chemicals into the air and the food being cooked, a new study suggests. Although the chemicals aren't subject to any regulatory restriction and have uncertain toxicity, the researchers conducting the study suggest that people at least run kitchen-exhaust fans when using these products. A 2005 industry study found no such releases.
Chemist Kurunthachalam Kannan and his New York State government team, based in Albany, performed the tests on four brands of nonstick fry pans and two brands of microwave popcorn. Their findings appear online and in an upcoming Environmental Science & Technology.
The scientists heated new fry pans of various brands on a 250°C hot plate for 20 minutes. About half the samples released high amounts of gaseous fluorotelomer alcohols (SN: 10/11/03, p. 238: Available to subscribers at http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20031011/note17.asp) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). The team heated two pans three more times to see if the chemical releases would fall as pans age. That occurred with one pan but not with the other.
The team also detected PFOA in water boiled for 10 minutes in two of the five pans tested.
When the researchers popped corn in the microwave bags, gaseous emissions contained low amounts of PFOA and high amounts of fluorotelomer alcohols. The oily coatings left inside the bags contained the chemicals as well, the team reports. The group didn't reveal the brands of nonstick pans or popcorn bags that it tested.
Cookware manufacturers have pledged to phase out PFOA, used to make some nonstick coatings, by 2015. The chemical is a suspected carcinogen, nervous system poison, and estrogen mimic found in the blood of people worldwide (SN: 3/25/06, p. 190: Available to subscribers at http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20060325/note17.asp; 12/2/06, p. 366: Available to subscribers at http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20061202/note16.asp).
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There have been numerous cases of pet birds dying suddenly when this stuff is used. Ever hear of about the canary in the coalmine?
Another of your unsubstantiated claims.
And, according to a nurse I know, it can make your whole house uninhabitable for a few days because of the smell. She once told me she forgot and left a non-stick pan on the burner for several hours, she had to go to the in-laws for several days before she could return home.
Not only will our cookware kill us, but what we cook will kill us too.
Meat not cooked at the right temperature will cause cancer.
Veggies will kill us because of pesticides and herbicides.
“Organically grown” veggies will kill us with E coli.
Our water is contaminated with a variety of evil chemicals and will kill us.
The air we breath will kill us because of pollution.
I use a hot-air popper and microwaved butter. Real butter, not margarine. A little garlic powder, seasoned salt, and I'm good for the show.
What? Non-stick sprays ruin non-stick pans? Never heard of that. Of course, the only use I have for Pam is on the gas grill outside - creates impressive fireballs when sprayed on an operating gas grill!
Well this was clearly an exhaustive study. ...not!
Hot-air poppers are better than microwave but IMHO they harden the popped hull. Since we started popping the popcorn the way I described- nobody in the family wants any other kind.
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