What happens if i ingest teflon

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Linked 1. Related Hot Network Questions. Question feed. Chemistry Stack Exchange works best with JavaScript enabled. Accept all cookies Customize settings. Steenland and other scientists also argue that people don't cook at high enough temperatures for these chemical reactions to take place.

However, research suggests pans can easily reach a temperature hot enough to disintegrate Teflon. One group of researchers in Canada published a study in the journal Nature , in which Teflon broke down at degrees Fahrenheit degrees Celsius. For context: a Teflon-coated pan can reach F C if left for eight minutes at high heat on a stovetop, according to a article published in Environmental Science and Pollution Research.

And at lower temperatures, Teflon coating still breaks down over time, according to a article published in the journal Polymer Degradation and Stability. If you consistently heat your pan to F C; the temperature at which we sear steak , the pan should last around 2. Taking good care of non-stick pans can help keep your kitchen safe. But in some cases, it's best to ditch Teflon pans altogether, Fenton added — especially if you're pregnant, breastfeeding or have young children.

PFOA in particular is tied to problems with kids' development. That's because this chemical is considered an endocrine disruptor, meaning it interferes with the body's hormone system. These effects are more prominent, if not lethal, in birds than in humans.

As such, the minimal PTFE you would ingest will likely pass through the digestive tract without harm. However, another fluorinated compound, PFOA perfluorooctanoic acid , is commonly used in the process of making PTFE and may be residual in non-stick coating components. After repeated heating and cooling, it is possible that the PFOA could migrate into the food.

Research suggests that PFOA interferes with hormonal balances as well as reproduction and fetal development. Many of the case studies reporting polymer fume fever were results of unattended heating and of heating empty non-stick pans.

Furthermore, most kitchens have reasonable ventilation that would protect the user. Altogether, non-stick pans could produce PTFE-fumes if used improperly. Typical cooking practices will probably not generate a significant amount of these fumes. PFOA is hard to degrade and it can remain in the environment and the human body for a long time. Thus, repeated exposure to small amounts of PFOA could build up over time and cause toxicity.

Using the most conservative estimates, they found that minimal amounts of PFOA transferred from PTFE cookware, even after intensive heating of the pans. A very important section! All research has its limitations. Thus, every risk assessment needs to identify and address the caveats. This kind of exposure is more representative of how people come into contact with Teflon and its toxic components.

In conclusion, to my dear newlywed friends and other interested readers, is it safe to use non-stick frying pans and cookware?

While cooking, tiny particles of the nonstick surface may chip off into the food. In minimal amounts, these flakes tend to pass through the human digestive tract without issue. For much of its existence, the process of making Teflon included the use of perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, another chemical.

While most of this synthetic chemical compound burned off during the manufacturing process, small amounts remained in the finished products. The U. Staying in the body for long periods of time, PFOA exposure can cause increased cholesterol and have negative effects on the thyroid, liver, and immune system. Exposure to this compound may also cause low infant birth weights and harmful effects on developing fetuses or breastfeeding babies.

Although Teflon itself is not believed to cause cancer, the American Cancer Society reports that recent studies suggest a possible connection between PFOA exposure and the occurrence of kidney, thyroid, and testicular cancers. Inhalation of PTFE gases could cause significant health effects, including a condition called polymer fume fever.

Also known as Teflon flu , this condition is characterized by sore throat and coughing, shivering and chills, headaches, and fever.