PFOA: What is it? What is Teflon? Is it toxic? Resolve your doubts

If you've ever wondered what Teflon is, you've probably read or heard a lot of negative things about it, as over the last few years it has become known as public enemy number one for non-stick coatings. As we've told you in other posts, the first thing you need to know is that Teflon is actually a brand name, like Tipp-Ex (or Tipp-Ex). Its real name is Polytetrafluoroethylene (or PTFE for short), but it's certainly a bit of a tricky name to remember. PTFE is actually the non-stick polymer used in one of the different types of coatings that a pan can have. A PTFE coating can be Teflon or another brand, and it can also have many different qualities.

And what is PFOA?

The general understanding is that Teflon is toxic because it contains a carcinogenic substance called PFOA. On that note, we are going to tell you two important things. The first and most important of all is that Teflon or PTFE non-stick coating no longer contains this substance. We could leave it here and everyone be happy, because if there is no PFOA there is no problem, but we are going to go a little further so that you know much better what PFOA is and what the problem really was. Also so that you know that you do not need to throw away your oldest non-stick cookware.

PFOA, also known as Perfluorooctanoic Acid, is a substance that has many industrial uses and was also used for a long time during the application of non-stick coatings on cooking vessels. There are no fully conclusive studies on the actual toxicity of this substance, but it is known to have a high persistence in the environment and has been found in the blood of animals and people. According to some studies, in high concentrations it could be harmful to health. In fact, the USEPA, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, declared it a probable carcinogen.

So Teflon is toxic?

It is very important to note that PFOA was only used to apply the coating to non-stick cookware. So by the time the finished product reached the consumer's home, PFOA was already practically undetectable. So in reality, cooking with a product coated with a PTFE (or Teflon) non-stick coating containing PFOA was not dangerous for the consumer.

However, although there was no real danger to the consumer cooking with these products, the PFOA used to apply the non-stick coating to the cookware remained indefinitely in the environment and was inhaled by the people who applied it.

This is why it is important that this substance is no longer used in any industrial setting and why it has been eliminated from the application process for PTFE in non-stick cookware. Castey was one of the first manufacturers to launch PFOA-free pans on the market.

We recommend that you read chapters 1 and 3 of our non-stick cookware manual to learn more about this component. You will also find useful information on which pans never stick, which are the best pots for healthy cooking and how to clean pans inside and out so that the non-stick coating lasts a long time.