PFOA, just looked it up.

Jury is out on the carcinogenicity cougar. It’s proven in animals but there still arguing about it in humans because it’s used in loads of industrial processes, and, you know, money.

I tend to err on the side of mammalian toxicity and carcinogenicity. Because we’re both mammals and animals.

Not yet proven. Cancers from such stuff turn up decades later. When it comes to carcinogens, trace levels is all that’s needed to mutate a few cells. Statistically low yes, but the risk is there.

The vapour toxicity on birds though still makes me concerned. Sure, not toxic to humans, but breathing in that stuff is not natural and long term effects are unknown.

Noting there’s a huge interest in the industry in not proving a link. Not that I’m normally a conspiracy theorist.

I’d rather avoid it to be safe rather than find I’ve been using the stuff for years and then bang here’s a new study with proof and too late I’m screwed.

Besides that, there’s still the fact that ceramic can take much higher heat. Teflon pans shouldn’t be used for high heat cooking, as per manufacturer instructions (they claim durability issues).

Delia recommends SKK, we have three of them for 13 years and they are good. I also like Le Creuset, we have got four of them. One of which wasn’t used for years because despite occasional efforts at seasoning it never stopped sticking. But the salt trick worked.

Jury is out on the carcinogenicity cougar.

No, it’s not.

The “jury is out” over PFOA yes, though it’s generally “believed” to be carcinogenic. But PFOA is used in the manufacturing process, it’s not in the final product. (Well, as I said, there’s traces, but there’s traces in plenty of other things, our own bodies for a start).

The bird thing is something else, polymer fumes or some such, not PFOA.

I agree. I expressed myself badly. PFOA is indeed all over the place. It’s a very powerful surfactant.

In terms of Teflon off gassing, PFOA is low. should perhaps have drawn attention earlier to the fact thats it’s only one of a multitude of breakdown products from the thermal degradation of PTFE, some of which are not pleasant.

Strikes me as best practice to avoid where possible is all.

Apologies, it’s not my intention to offend. I’m a fairly plain and undiplomatic type. Sometimes I forget to apply my people filter to what I say and write.

Appreciated. Will try a lower heat again tomorrow morning.

I bought a ceramic pan from Asda a while back. Coating non-stickiness didn’t last long at all. One burnining episode and it was screwed.

Best thing about stainless pans is no matter how badly you burn the pan you can always use sandpaper to sand the carbon off. Well – almost always – this got recycled:

You made your own little avian Han Solo!

Not yet proven. Cancers from such stuff turn up decades later. When it comes to carcinogens, trace levels is all that’s needed to mutate a few cells. Statistically low yes, but the risk is there.

Do you know how many substances are in the International Agency for Research on Cancer’s “probably not carcinogenic to humans” (group 4) category?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_IARC_Group_4_carcinogens

I’ll be buying a new frying pan soon, I will probably avoid PTFE because there are better around and I don’t like the low temperature limit but I still have some old ones that get used. PFOA free is fairly common these days.

And I cook scrambled eggs in a plain old stainless steel pan and they don’t stick. (OK, it’s 3-ply because straight up stainless isn’t very STW).

I know.. it’s so sad, those little bones in there.. the promise of delicious soup destroyed, blackened, scorched..

grumpysculler – Member 
PFOA free is fairly common these days.

Apparently they just use other PFAs and no proof they are any better or worse.

Anyway, carcinogen or not, other health effects are concerning.

Though we’re all screwed anyway it seems as most of us have PFOAs in our bloodstream from all kinds of sources. Teflon being very minor source.