Teflon is a versatile product used in various industries as a coating agent. The NASA space program, for example, uses it on their crafts and clothes as well.
But, its applications extend to the manufacturing of industrial, pharmaceutical, and automotive products. Closer home, Teflon coating is commonly used in the making of many household products.
Teflon nonstick pans are common in most people’s kitchens. The US FDA approves them as safe food processing equipment.
Teflon is not a product on its own, but a brand name of a product. It refers to a chemical coating known as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).
It's a type of plastic sprayed on various items and then baked to create a nonstick, waterproof, noncorrosive, and nonreactive surface. This way, it creates a barrier between the product and the external elements that can harm it.
The worry around Teflon coating was to do with some of its chemical properties. It used to contain perfluorooctanoic acid — or PFOA.
PFOA is a risk factor for health conditions like chronic kidney disease, liver disease, thyroid disorders, testicular cancers, low birth weight, and infertility.
Most manufacturers assumed that PFOA burns off during the process of manufacture, but traces of PFOA were found in some Teflon-coated cookware.
A 1999 study found that 98% of people in the United States had PFOA in their blood. This was due to environmental exposure to the chemical. As a result, the US EPA put up a program to eliminate the use of PFOA by 2015.
Another concern related to the use of Teflon coating is that particles of PTFE may flake off from the cookware made with Teflon coating. But, they do not cause any harm when ingested.
The use of PFOA in the manufacturing of Teflon-coated cookware has been completely stopped. But, even when PFOA is used, it poses little or no harm to your health.
Teflon on its own is safe and can’t harm you when you ingest it. Particles of flaked or chipped pans that find themselves in food pass through your digestive system don’t pose any health risks.
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