Food is our fuel; without it, people cannot function. While the number of restaurants has increased tremendously, nothing beats a home-cooked meal. Not only is there great nutritional value, but also there is a sentimental one. Yet, while some families have certain recipes jealously guarded and unchanged from one generation to the next, the same cannot be said of the cookware used to make those recipes.
Cooking is such an integral part of the human experience that in most museums one will find cooking and eating utensils on display. Early cookware was made from naturally occurring materials such as clay and wood, until ceramic, cast iron, and copper cookware were developed. We have all seen the old cookware our grandparents used for cooking; simple looking pots made from aluminium in most cases. Nowadays, however, cookware options are endless; every couple of years or so, a new trend emerges in the cooking pot category.
An interesting development that became key for modern cookware was non-stick cookware; it was marketed as the healthier option for cooking since less fat will be needed in the cooking process. Not only that, for those having to clean and wash the pans, the cleaning process was meant to be easy and quick. The non-stick pan innovation was popularized by the brand known as Teflon.
Teflon used a manmade chemical, Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), in their pans to make them non-stick. This synthetic resin is non-flammable and has a waxy, slippery, and tough quality to it, as well as a high melting point; it also does not interact with other chemicals. It is produced by the polymerization of tetrafluoroethylene and was discovered by coincidence by American chemist Roy Plunkett in 1938. However, it was not used in cookware manufacturing until the 1960s when the first Teflon pans were released. They were highly in demand that many other brands followed afterwards.
Nevertheless, it has turned out that the use of PTFE in cookware is somewhat problematic. During the manufacturing process of PTFE, an acid known as Perfluorooctanoic (PFOA) is used. This, too, is a manmade chemical; whilst it burns off during the process of making PTFE, a small percentage remains in the final product. What has recently been discovered is that PFOA is possibly carcinogenic, which means that those living in close proximity to plants that manufacture it are at a higher risk of developing cancer. It has also been discovered that once it enters the environment or the human body it can remain for a long period of time.
In regards to PTFE coated cookware, there is concern, because when heated beyond a certain point, PTFE coated cookware can release fumes that contain PFOA. When inhaled, these fumes can cause flu-like symptoms, which are sometimes called “Teflon flu”. Most people do not make the connection to PFOA exposure, because the symptoms usually take a few hours to be revealed and people tend to think that they actually have the flu.
These risks of using such non-stick gave rise to alternative non-stick cookware known as ceramic coated cookware, which is made from metal that is coated with a layer of ceramic made from inorganic materials. These inorganic materials are applied through a process called Sol-gel, where the liquid inorganic materials are transformed into a gel that can adhere to metals in one coating.
While that type of cookware is touted as more environmentally friendly and safer for use—as it tends to withstand higher temperatures without the risk of cracking or being damaged—there are still some risk factors. These occur when manufacturers do not adhere to regulations that warn against the use of lead and/or cadmium in the ceramic coating material. Some traces of these have been found in some ceramic glazes, which is why it is important to be sure that one is purchasing from a reputable seller.
While manufacturers have been trying to innovate and improve performance of cookware, we have yet to reach the ideal, especially as newer manmade chemicals have yet to be understood fully. What one has to do is always be on the lookout for a better and healthier option, and to always try and use the cookware one has, according to the instructions it came with, so as to avoid any potential hazards that can be the outcome of misuse.
References
cancer.org
britannica.com
telegraph.co.uk
healthambition.com
home.howstuffworks.com
thecookwareadvisor.com