Here’s the deal with nonstick coating
There are many stories about pans with nonstick coating. Isn’t that nonstick coating toxic, and can’t it flake off and mix with your food? And how do you clean it? Once and for all: all the facts in a row.
Okay, first things first: what is nonstick coating? In general, nonstick pans are made of aluminum and have a thin layer of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene or Teflon) on them, which keeps your egg, steak and pancake from sticking. There are also pans with a ceramic coating to prevent sticking.
Is it actually safe?
Many people think that, over time, the nonstick coating will wear down and come loose, ending up in your food. And ingesting PTFE and ceramic doesn’t sound like the best thing for your body, so it’s logical that you wonder about this. Modern pans are made so well that, in principle, nothing flakes off into your food. And even if it did: ingesting a small amount really can’t do any harm, Lisa McManus, executive testing and tasting editor at America’s Test Kitchen (hello, dream job!), tells Today magazine.
Smoke
What is harmful, however, is the smoke that comes from the pan when it exceeds a temperature of 315 ºC. The good news is that you will probably never reach that ridiculously high temperature in your humble home kitchen. To be on the safe side, make sure the kitchen is well ventilated and don’t leave an empty pan on the heat for too long.
Cleaning
Since nothing sticks to the pan, they are very easy to clean. A sponge with dish soap is sufficient in most cases, but what if there are still bits in the pan? Fill the pan with water and vinegar and bring it to a boil. If all goes well, all the grime will now loosen from the bottom and float to the surface. Pour it out and your pan is ready to use again.
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