Sydney: An Australian regulator of industrial chemicals has suggested that we may not be able to stomach what pans out following the prolonged use of non-stick frying pans and baking trays; intake of harmful toxins present in non-stick cookware, could penetrate into our system causing health problems, they said.
The National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme or NICNAS said it is concerned about the use of non-sticks pans for cooking especially in the developing nations.The culprit is a chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid (pentadecafluorooctanoic acid) or PFO, which supports the production of coatings present on metal surfaces and non-stick cookware. There is a fear that PFOA could remain in small amounts in the finished product as a residue. As a result, Australian authorities have recommended that PFOA be phased out gradually.
A study conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) portrayed that the chemical manages to remain in living organisms and the environment, impeding development. The study carried out on rats showed the effect of these harmful toxins on the development of generations.
Many companies in the developed nations have taken the responsibility of slowly doing away with PFOA. A paper published this year in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, explains how PFOA is released even when non-stick cookware and microwave popcorn bags are subject to normal heat.
NICNAS has cautioned consumers against the overheating of non-stick cookware, which would most certainly result in the release of toxins that can have an adverse effect.
Source-Medindia
SAV
