PTFE-coated non-stick cookware and toxicity concerns: a perspective

Sajid, Muhammad; Ilyas, Muhammad

doi:10.1007/s11356-017-0095-y

Trend Editorial
Published: 14 September 2017

PTFE-coated non-stick cookware and toxicity concerns: a perspective

Muhammad Sajid¹ &
Muhammad Ilyas¹

Environmental Science and Pollution Research volume 24, pages 23436–23440 (2017)Cite this article

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Abstract

PTFE is used as an inner coating material in non-stick cookware. This unique polymer coating prevents food from sticking in the pans during the cooking process. Such cookware is also easy to wash. At normal cooking temperatures, PTFE-coated cookware releases various gases and chemicals that present mild to severe toxicity. Only few studies describe the toxicity of PTFE but without solid conclusions. The toxicity and fate of ingested PTFE coatings are also not understood. Moreover, the emerging, persistent, and well-known toxic environmental pollutant PFOA is also used in the synthesis of PTFA. There are some reports where PFOA was detected in the gas phase released from the cooking utensils under normal cooking temperatures. Due to toxicity concerns, PFOA has been replaced with other chemicals such as GenX, but these new alternatives are also suspected to have similar toxicity. Therefore, more extensive and systematic research efforts are required to respond the prevailing dogma about human exposure and toxic effects to PTFE, PFOA, and GenX and other alternatives.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the support of the Center for Environment and Water, Research Institute, at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals.

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Center for Environment and Water, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, 31261, Saudi Arabia
Muhammad Sajid & Muhammad Ilyas

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Muhammad Sajid
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Muhammad Ilyas
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Correspondence to Muhammad Sajid.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Sajid, M., Ilyas, M. PTFE-coated non-stick cookware and toxicity concerns: a perspective. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 23436–23440 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0095-y

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Received: 29 December 2016
Accepted: 04 September 2017
Published: 14 September 2017
Issue Date: October 2017
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0095-y

Keywords

PTFE coatings
Non-stick cookware
Toxicity of PTFE
PFOA
Pyrolytic gases from PTFE
GenX