Teflon™ coating is widely found on nonstick surfaces in cookware such as frying pans and pots. Teflon’s useful properties were discovered in 1938, and it was quickly commercialized. In the early 1950s, research indicated that although Teflon itself is inert and safe when used as intended, a compound used in its manufacture, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), could be released from the finished cookware during normal use or generated when the Teflon coating is overheated. After 2014, manufacturers phased out the use of PFOA in Teflon production. The current version of Teflon is widely considered by healthcare professionals and manufacturers to be safe to use.
This article will discuss what Teflon coating is and whether it is considered safe to use.
Teflon is the brand name for a chemical called polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Teflon is applied to cookware to produce a nonstick surface, primarily on many commonly used cookware items, including but not limited to frying pans, cooking pots, waffle irons, muffin tins, and utensils. Less well-known applications are heat shielding for the nose of NASA reentry vehicles and UV protection for fiberglass space suits. A PTFE coating produces a surface finish, which, in addition to being nonstick, is also waterproof and non-reactive.
Toxicity concerns about Teflon do not relate to the inert PTFE polymer itself but to trace processing aids, such as PFOA, that were historically used during its manufacture. Until 2014, Teflon coatings were manufactured using perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) as a processing aid. PFOAs are considered to be toxic to humans. Manufacturers claimed that they thought that the PFOA was “burnt off” during the manufacturing process, but it has been found that this is not the case. PFOA has been linked to thyroid disorders, liver disease, testicular cancer, and chronic kidney disease.
Teflon or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is made from the elements carbon (C) and fluorine (F). These elements are arranged in chains of carbon (C) atoms single-bonded to each other to fill two of the four bonding sites on each carbon atom, with the other two bonding locations each filled by a fluorine (F) atom. Figure 1 shows the structure of the fluorocarbon chain that makes up Teflon:
Teflon chemical structure
Teflon is made by first synthesizing the building blocks of the polymer chain and then linking them together. The individual “links” in the Teflon polymer chain, called monomers, each consist of two carbon atoms double-bonded to each other, with each carbon also bonded to two fluorine atoms. These monomer molecules form a compound known as tetrafluoroethylene (TFE, with the formula C2F4). While this is the general process, the specific industrial methods for synthesizing TFE can vary and are often proprietary.
TFE can be made by reacting sulfuric acid (H2SO4) with the mineral fluorspar (CaF2) to form hydrofluoric acid (HF) at a high temperature. The hydrofluoric acid serves as a source of fluorine atoms for a reaction in which the chlorine (Cl) atoms are stripped from chloroform (trichloromethane, or CHCl3) atoms and replaced with fluorine atoms to yield tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) monomer for Teflon.
TFE is an explosive gas, so it is normally processed as soon as possible into the final PTFE polymer by radical polymerization. Radical polymerization is a process in which a small amount of a so-called “radical initiator,” e.g., ammonium persulfate, (NH4)2S2O8, acts as a catalyst to kick off the polymerization process. The exact procedure is usually guarded by manufacturers as a trade secret. The processes used can yield PTFE in the form of grains that are processed into molded pellets or a milky paste that is processed into a fine powder.
Teflon is most well known for its use on nonstick cookware. However, it is also used on space suits and spacecraft, in piping systems, in chemical manufacturing, in semiconductors, and in the aerospace, automotive, and mechanical engineering industries. In many of these applications, its low friction and chemical resistance are essential for reducing wear and enhancing performance.
There is a long list of products that use Teflon coatings. The list below gives examples of products that use Teflon from a range of industries:
No. Modern (post-2014) pans coated with Teflon, used as directed, are not considered toxic. Before 2014, a chemical used in the manufacture of Teflon, PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid), was found to present several potential human health risks. It was replaced by alternative compounds in the PFAS (per- and polyfluorinated substances) family, which are considered to be safer during Teflon production. In most major markets around the world, manufacturers phased out PFOA around 2014. The nonstick Teflon pans produced today are widely accepted to be safe for everyday cooking, with the condition that they are not used at temperatures over 500°F (260°C).
Yes, there are nonstick alternatives to Teflon coatings. However, their performance does vary. One example of a nonstick pan without Teflon is a ceramic-coated pan. Ceramic coatings are derived from natural minerals, often including silica, a key component of sand, which gives them a glossy, slick finish. These pans can typically withstand temperatures of up to 800°F (430°C), although actual performance may vary by manufacturer. Other alternatives include silicone-coated, sol-gel-coated, or silicone-free pans.
While Teflon products in most major markets haven't used PFOA since 2014 and can now be considered safe, you may choose to avoid products produced in or before 2014 to minimize any risk of exposure to residual PFOA. However, items that still contain PFOA are generally safe if they remain intact and are not overheated or damaged.
Teflon coatings offer many advantages, including:
Yes, Teflon pans are now considered safe to use by American and European regulators, including the EPA and EEA. Teflon pans have not incorporated the toxic chemical PFOA in their production process since 2014. Manufacturers in most major markets have stopped the use of PFOA in their products under the guidance of the PFOA stewardship program, which is an initiative set up to reduce the presence of PFOA in the environment over concerns about their effects on human health and the environment. The chemical now used in the manufacture of Teflon, GenX, is widely considered to be safer. However, ongoing research continues to evaluate its long-term safety.
As mentioned above, in most major markets, PFOAs have now been removed from nearly all Teflon products through the PFOA Stewardship Program over health concerns. Post-2014 Teflon uses chemicals from the PFAS (per and polyfluorinated substances) line of chemicals. These chemicals are considered much safer than PFOA and are not deemed to pose a health risk, though ongoing research continues to monitor their safety. Pre-2014, or in cases where Teflon is produced by unregulated manufacturing sources, PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) was used in the production of Teflon, and exposure to it was found to have some potential health effects, including:
The WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer deems PFOA to be “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” a hypothesis that is supported by multiple studies.
Although modern Teflon products are considered safe when used as directed, following proper care guidelines can help maintain the integrity of the nonstick coating and minimize any potential risks. There are several ways in which the potential risks posed by Teflon-coated cookware can be minimized. Nearly all of them relate to taking care not to damage the coating. Below are 6 ways to reduce the possible risks of Teflon coatings on cookware:
Heating an empty pan results in the pan itself getting very hot, much hotter than if the heat were transferred into food being cooked. This is important because the hotter the coating gets, the more likely it is to give off toxic gas fumes. When heated over 660°F (350°C), the coating has the potential to deteriorate. However, by heating the pan only when the food to be cooked is already in it, this risk is reduced.
Stovetop areas should be installed with proper ventilation, consisting of a hood to trap fumes and a ventilation fan to route them outdoors or to filter and recirculate the air. The exhaust fan is intended to direct smoke, grease, and moisture out of the kitchen, but it can also eliminate any chemical fumes that might be given off by overheated Teflon-coated cookware.
When pots and pans have reached roughly 3000 baking cycles, the coating on them will start to break down. It is currently understood that the small pieces of coating that chip off of old pots and pans are safe to consume. However, it is good practice to replace old pots and pans, as it wasn’t realized that PFOA in pots and pans had the potential to be toxic until they had been used for decades.
Using wooden, silicone, or plastic utensils is safer than using metal utensils since they will not scratch or flake off the Teflon coating on your cookware. Wood, plastic, and silicone are all softer than the Teflon coating, which means that the coating is more likely to wear away the utensils than vice versa. This reduces the potential risk of any of the coating contaminating the food.
Since Teflon is known to begin to decompose and give off fumes above a temperature of 500°F (260°C), it is best to use Teflon-coated cookware at low and medium heat settings. For example, it should not be used for broiling.
Hand washing cookware can minimize damage to the Teflon coating to a certain extent, as using a dishwasher or abrasive pads has the potential to scratch the Teflon coating, which is then more likely to chip and contaminate food when cooking. However, Teflon nonstick pans are designed to have a coating that is guaranteed for the life of the pan. The engineering of the nonstick coating is designed to resist peeling, chipping, and flaking. Therefore, it is not essential to h
