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Can A Scratch On A Nonstick Pan Release Millions Of Dangerous Toxins Into Food?
According to study, a single scratch on a nonstick pan’s surface can release millions of microplastics into homes and meals.
One fracture on a Teflon-coated skillet released an explosion of microscopic poisons, according to an Australian study that employed light waves to analyze minuscule particles.
Stick and heat-resistant particles called per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS), commonly known as everlasting chemicals, are utilized to manufacture millions of kitchenware products in the US.
In recent years, they have been connected to a variety of health issues, such as autism, various cancers, and infertility.
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They are so prevalent that research conducted in 2020 discovered that 99 percent of Americans have blood levels of them that can be detected.
According to studies published this month, hazardous substances have contaminated 57,000 US neighborhoods.
One five-centimeter (cm) crack on Teflon pans, possibly caused by a spatula or spoon, discharged up to 2.3 million microplastics, according to researchers.
The pan had more than 9,000 plastic fragments all together.
Despite these dangers, there are currently no legal restrictions on the quantity of PFAS that can be present on the surface of manufactured goods in the US.
Researchers found that a single scratch on a nonstick pan can lead to millions of dangerous microparticles entering a person’s food and expose them to long-term harms
We need to investigate these Teflon microparticles in our food since we don’t know much about these developing contaminants, according to Dr. Cheng Fang, a senior research fellow at the University of Newcastle in Australia. PFAS is a major worry.
The prevalence of particles coming off the pans was investigated using Raman imaging, and the results were published in Science of The Total Environment.
The method includes seeing how particles spread out and interact with one another in a certain space using light waves.
The light waves can count the number of particles and observe how they move using microscopic vision.
Millions of these particles were expelled across the pan, allowing them to get into food cooked on the dish.
Once a person eats food contaminated with PFAS chemicals they will remain in the body for long periods of time, as it very slowly leaves through urine.
They have been deemed ‘forever chemicals’ because they take nearly a decade to break down in the body and never break down in the environment.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not set an upper limit as to the maximum amount of PFAS that is safe to consume in food.
In lieu of FDA regulations, researchers recommend people to take more care in the types of products they choose to use.
Experts recommend against using nonstick pans, especially those that use Teflon products.
‘It gives us a strong warning that we must be careful about selecting and using cooking utensils to avoid food contamination,’ Professor Youhong Tang, a researchers from Australia’s Flinders University said.
‘More research is recommended to address the risk assessment of the Teflon microplastics and nanoplastics, given that Teflon is a family member of PFAS.’
Teflon is a manufacturing giant that makes much of the nonstick cookware Americans use today.
Its nonstick coating uses a chemical called polytetrafluoroethylene (PFTE), which is a type of PFAS.
There is no evidence to suggest that it is more or less hazardous than other PFAS kinds.
Experts are concerned that Americans are unnecessarily being exposed to these hazardous compounds due to the abundance of these chemicals in dishes, food packaging, and other products.
Researchers caution that early exposure to “forever chemicals” can harm a child’s physical and social growth as well as have an impact on their behavior as they age.
A University of Texas study published last year discovered that infants exposed to PFAS had a higher risk of developing autism.
The chance of developing renal, testicular, ovarian, prostate, thyroid, and bone marrow cancers as an adult can also increase as a result of prolonged exposure.
In recommendations released in July, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advised that its levels in drinking water should not be higher than 0.004 parts per trillion (ppt).
A number of states, including Maine, have also taken action to prohibit its use in goods like clothing and mattresses.
Some others worry that these hazardous compounds are so pervasive in American culture that they cannot be avoided at all.
It’s very difficult to shop your way out of [PFAS exposure], according to Sydney Evans, an analyst with the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy group with offices in Washington, DC, and DailyMail.com.
“You can stop using [one product], but whatever you use in its place will also contain PFAS.”
