What Is PTFE? Understanding the Coating Used in Nonstick Cookware

Recently, people have been concerned about their nonstick pots and pans. There were widespread reports that cookware coated with PTFE might cause health problems, including cancer. Does this mean it’s time to throw out your favorite nonstick pan and forget about replacing it? Short answer: no!

PTFE itself is not suspected of causing cancer, so says the American Cancer Society. That’s because PTFE is inert. It will not react with other chemicals inside or outside of your body.

However, the organization will not make the same statement about perfluorooctanoic acid. Perfluorooctanoic acid’s scientific name has been shortened to PFOA. PFOA is a chemical that was — until 2013 — used to make PTFE.

Studies in recent years have looked at the possibility of PFOA causing cancer and found it can increase the risk of certain tumors.

Swearing off nonstick cookware won’t prevent you from being exposed to PFOA. It’s found in items ranging from medical catheters to fabric protectors. PFOA is so common that it showed up in blood tests in 98 percent of people in a study conducted in 1999.

The good news is that PFOA is no longer used to make Teflon or PTFE. The Environmental Protection Agency worked with DuPont and other chemical companies to stop using PFOA. At Misen, all products have always been PFOA-free.

To stay competitive, other manufacturers of nonstick cookware have also phased out the use of PFOA. But you still need to be careful when you pick out a nonstick pot or pan. Check to see that your nonstick cookware was manufactured without PFOA. (At Misen, we only use the safest nonstick coating that’s completely free of PFOA.)

Even if your nonstick cookware is PFOA-free, You still have to be careful about how you use it. Overheating a PTFE-coated skillet can be dangerous. Very high temperatures can cause the PTFE to release gases that can give you “polymer-fume fever.” You’ll get the chills, a headache, and yes, a fever. This is rare and would only happen if you heat a nonstick pan on high heat for more than 30 minutes. This is why most nonstick makers recommend using low to medium heat, just to be safe.

There are other cookware choices — like the classic carbon steel pan or, every chef’s best friend, the stainless steel pan — that are better suited for cooking on high heat. Save your nonstick cookware for what it does best.

Delicate foods like eggs and fish cook better in nonstick cookware.

It’s easier to overheat a skillet than you think. An empty pan left on the stove on high heat can reach 500 degrees Farenheit in less than two minutes. That’s higher than what’s recommended for PTFE.

It’s not necessary to preheat a nonstick pan because food that cooks better in nonstick skillets does not need a high temperature. Fried or scrambled eggs, for example, will do nicely at just 160 degrees. Even bacon will cook up to crispy goodness at about 465 degrees in a nonstick skillet.

Certain types of foods fare better in cookware coated with PTFE because they benefit from both the nonstick properties of the pan and the lower cooking temperature. Because food seldom sticks to it, you also can cook with less butter or oil. Here are some of the things we recommend cooking up in your nonstick pan.

Without that slippery protection, the proteins in eggs will stick to a metal pan during cooking. But with a nonstick pan, you won’t lose any of your breakfast.

Cookware with nonstick properties does a better job cooking shellfish and many types of fish fillets. The delicate structure has a tendency to crumble in metal pans. Plus, too much oil or butter can mask seafood’s delicate flavor.

Tortillas and frittatas turn out better using nonstick cookware — especially if you plan to flip them during cooking. Crepes and pancakes also fare better in a nonstick skillet, and not just because of the flipping. Since you’ll be cooking slower on a lower temperature, you won’t have to worry about biting into raw pancake batter.

The molecular structure of PTFE prevents heat from the burner from efficiently traveling to the surface of the pan, which makes it difficult to brown or sear meat. Fast and hot is not what nonstick does well.

Also if you’re a fan of starting a dish on the stovetop and then finishing it in the oven, a nonstick pan might not be your best bet. Check to see that your nonstick cookware is oven safe. You might not exceed the safety temperature for a PTFE coating, but the manufacturer may advise against using it in the oven.

It’s easy to damage the PTFE coating on nonstick cookware, but with these simple tips, you can keep that coating safe and prolong the life of your pans.

The PTFE coating can be scraped and damaged by the sharp edges of metal cooking utensils. Wood and heat-safe plastic are okay to use, but prone to breaking or melting. We suggest sturdy silicone prep tools to cook and serve from nonstick cookware for most homes. If you store your pans in a stack in the cupboard, put a durable pan protector between them to prevent the nested cookware from scratching.

Think of your dishwasher as a sharp, metal cooking utensil. Keep your nonstick cookware away from it.

Dishwashers get your plates and silverware clean by using abrasive detergent. You’ll hasten the deterioration of the nonstick surface this way. Little if any food will be stuck to your pan after cooking, so you can quickly hand-wash it with a soft sponge and liquid dish soap.

You’ll need less oil or butter to cook with nonstick pans, and you shouldn’t use nonstick cooking spray at all. The lower heat keeps the spray from burning off during cooking. You’ll end up with a sticky buildup that’s difficult to remove.

Drastic changes in temperature can weaken the bond of the nonstick coating. Don’t run your nonstick pans under cold water to cool them down. It can cause microscopic cracks in the PTFE coating. The cracks will lead to flaking. Let the pan cool on the stovetop or counter before you hand-wash it.

Depending on the quality, nonstick cookware that gets regular use will last about two years. Lower quality pans that retail for $40 and below will often start to lose their nonstick powers after only 9 months. However, even the most expensive nonstick will need to be replaced. 

If you can see visible scratches in the nonstick surface, the PTFE may be flaking off and ending up in your food. Remember that PTFE is an inert substance. It can’t harm you. But it can make your food unattractive.

A new nonstick pan has a distinctive sheen. It may be time to start thinking about a replacement when you notice that the sheen is gone. This may also be when you start to notice that food sometimes sticks to the nonstick surface or that you have to use more oil.

At Misen, we recommend new nonstick cookware about every 2-3 years.