DuPont says allegations over teflon will not stick

[dArKeR]

Beijing - US chemical giant DuPont has accused the Chinese media of stirring up public unease over the safety of a chemical used to make Teflon, a non-stick coating for frying pans.

DuPont said the media had "misinterpreted" a press release issued by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) earlier this month.

The press release charged DuPont with failing to report test results on Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA), a key ingredient used to make Teflon.

The EPA said the test results suggested the chemical may pose health and environmental problems.

"This misinterpretation of the EPA press release has led to unease about using non-stick cookware," Charles G. Browne, president of DuPont China Holdings, told reporters at a news conference in Beijing.

http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=2158507

Amazing! I was just wondering about this over the last month when I noticed my cooking pans coating flaking off, daily/weekly. I can obviously see this. As I wondered if I was eating it.

[greatauntoftriplets]

1. Oh that headline! ROTFLMAO.

What a great pun!!!

[Cheneys_former_heart]

2. Stop Using That Pan!!

You ARE eating it! I saw a news report on (I believe) 60 Minutes and the dangers of Teflon. One thing Dupont does admit to is the "Teflon Flu", in which many people after cooking with teflon develop flu-like symptoms from the fumes teflon releases in the air. There was more to this report, I'll see if I can find more on the web, but it made us throw out our teflon pans and replace them with good old copper.

[HereSince1628]

5. But, isn'y copper also a reactive element?

I'm no chemist, but having read many articles about copper/copper mining pollution in the upper Midwest, I am wondering about the safety of copper.

My preference is iron cookware which is made from the most abundant element on earth. My reasoning (even if faulty) is that millions of years of evolution has "solved" many of the problems of iron "toxicity."

[markdd]

3. Can say that you've not eaten Teflon

It's not actually "stuck" to the pan anyway. The metal is etched (acid etched?) to create small pockets all over the surface of the pan. The pockets tend to be "undercut" meaning that the opening is smaller than the widest part of the pocket. The Teflon is added as a surface treatment and fills the little pockets, getting trapped under the undercuts and leaving a smooth surface to cook on. Heating, cleaning and metal utensils can cause cracks in the Teflon or break down the little pockets and the stuff comes off, into your food or the dishwater.

[RebelYell]

4. Teflon fumes can kill your parakeet

or any other birds you might have. My neighbor's parakeets died, the first question the Vet asked her was if she used Teflon pans to cook with.

[donco6]

6. I don't use it.

My food doesn't stick that bad with stainless steel cookware anyway. I'm not sure of the point of Teflon.