The Truth About Non-Stick Cookware: Are They a Recipe for Health Concerns?

Amid escalating health concerns from the resurging COVID variant, avian flu, and a recent Listeria scare, a less-known health threat with a rather innocuous name, Teflon flu, is making a surge of its own. Despite the seemingly innocuous moniker, Teflon flu, technically known as polymer fume fever, is an illness that should not be underestimated.

The Washington Post reports that American poison control centers have been alerted to more than 3,600 cases of Teflon flu in the past two decades. Interestingly, 2023 witnessed 267 suspected cases alone, ranking it amongst the peak years since the dawn of the millennium.

This peculiar illness derives its name from a common kitchen item – nonstick pans. More specifically, it’s the inhalation of fumes emanating from overheated nonstick pans that can lead to Teflon flu. Nonstick pans are typically coated in a compound named polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a constituent of the infamous ‘forever chemicals’, also known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

PTFE inhalation can induce a suite of flu-like symptoms. “Fever, malaise, dyspnea, chest tightness, and a dry cough,” are on the list of symptoms, as detailed in a 2023 StatPearls article. These symptoms generally manifest a few hours after exposure to the heated nonstick pans.

Maryann Amirshahi, co-medical director for the National Capital Poison Center, asserts that the real extent of polymer fume fever cases might be greater than recorded, given the possibility of it being mistaken for a common cold. “If you have a fever and you have body aches, you don’t always think that it’s something that you inhaled,” she explained in her conversation with The Washington Post.

However, the silver lining is, StatPearls stresses that individuals with polymer fume fever usually recuperate within a few days, with “death and permanent disability” being “exceedingly rare.” Yet, this should not diminish the need for caution while using PTFE-coated nonstick utensils.

The StatPearls article also highlighted that the symptoms might not manifest until the nonstick materials reach a temperature of 662 degrees. But Zac Hudson, an associate professor of chemistry at the University of British Columbia, warns that PTFE fumes may be discharged when a pan is heated to approximately 500 degrees Fahrenheit. This happens when the coating degrades, releasing “a very complex mix of oxidized, fluorinated substances.”

To curtail the risk, experts advocate against preheating nonstick pans, using them in ovens at high temperature or broiling, and using objects that can scratch the nonstick surface. Ventilation is vital, so using the exhaust fan or opening windows while cooking is recommended.

Despite the risk of PFAS exposure from nonstick cookware, six experts told The Washington Post they do not use nonstick cookware in their homes, due to more substantial PFAS exposure sources.

Nonetheless, cookware manufacturers continue to support their products’ safety. Teflon trademark owner Chemours insists that their nonstick coatings are safe, citing research that validates this claim. The company stated, “Multiple studies demonstrate that it does not bioaccumulate and, if incidental exposure were to occur, it’s rapidly eliminated from the body.” However, they declined to comment on suspected PTFE cases.

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