Over forty years of consumer use, along with laboratory testing and published peer-reviewed research, has affirmed that cookware made with Teflon® non-stick coatings is safe for both consumer and commercial use at normal cooking temperatures.

Before the commercial introduction of Teflon® non-stick coatings for cookware, extensive laboratory testing was conducted to examine the safety of these coatings. Regulatory agencies in the United States and abroad have reviewed these findings. For example:

• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concluded that fluoropolymer non-stick coatings for cookware are acceptable for conventional kitchen use.
  
  

Currently,

• On its web site, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has stated that it "does not believe there is any reason for consumers to stop using any consumer or industrial related [non-stick coated] products."
  
  
• In 2003, The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission rejected a petition to require a warning label for non-stick coatings.
  
  

To date, cooks in more than forty countries around the world have purchased over two billion pots and pans with Teflon® brand non-stick coatings for home and commercial use. In all of this experience, there has been no record of any significant human health problems.

Some people keep their pet birds in the kitchen. It's a natural gathering place for family, friends and pets. But bird owners should be aware that there are potential dangers in the kitchen, too. Cooking fumes, smoke and odors that have little or no effect on people can seriously sicken and even kill some pet birds, often quite quickly. Dr. Karen Rosenthal, DVM offers tips to keep pet birds safe [pdf].

Suggested Use

The recommended maximum use temperature for cookware with Teflon® non-stick coating is 500°F (260°C). For your reference, the table below lists typical cooking temperatures that are appropriate for the food you are preparing:

Heating non-stick cookware above 500°F (260°C) can discolor the surface of the cookware or cause it to lose some of its non-stick properties. Since butter, fats and cooking oils start to smoke at 400°F (204°C), overcooked foods would most likely burn to an inedible state before the non-stick coating would be affected. If an empty non-stick cookware pan is accidentally heated above 660°F (348°C), a temperature that far exceeds what food preparation calls for, the non-stick coating may begin to deteriorate.

In rare instances, a person may accidentally ingest a flake of non-stick coating from an aged pan. The coating flake is non-toxic and would pass through the body without being absorbed. Based on the inert characteristics of the coating, data indicate that there are no health effects from the incidental ingestion of pieces of non-stick coating.

Tips for Using Non-stick Cookware

As for any consumer product, there are several best practices and practical tips for the safe use of non-stick coated cookware.

For example:

• Follow manufacturer instructions.
• Use low or medium heat for cooking.
• Never preheat your cookware on high heat.
• Always turn on an exhaust fan or open a window when cooking.
• Use a stove burner that matches the size of the bottom of the pan.
• Consider using non-stick cookware to prepare meals with less oil.
• Never leave heated cookware unattended.