How a common kitchen appliance can release millions of toxic-chemicals into your food
A COMMON kitchen appliance can release millions of toxic chemicals into your food, experts have claimed.
Researchers in Australia found that a single scratch on a non-stick pan can result in microplastics seeping into your meals.
Many pans used to fry foods are coated with with Teflon, which stop foods like fried eggs from sticking to the pan when cooking.
The heat proof particles used to create this are called Per-and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) – also known as forever chemicals.
These chemicals have previously been linked to immune system suppression and even cancer.
Writing in the journal, the Science of the Total Environment, experts used light waves to measure the particles.
Read more on forever chemicals
Medics at the Flinder’s University in Australia found that if a pan had a scratch or mark of just 5cm, then it could release up to 2.3million particles.
The experts said that these microparticles could be a ‘health concern’ as there is still little known about these contaminants.
The light waves were able to track how easily the particles could spread and move around.
Millions shifted across the pan, which allowed them to get into the food.
Most read in Health
When counted, overall there were more than 9,000 plastic particles in the pan.
Off the back of the study, the experts recommended against the use of the non-stick pans.
Professor Youhong Tang, a researcher at Flinders University said: “It gives us a strong warning that we must be careful about selecting and using cooking utensils to avoid food contamination.
“More research is recommended to address the risk assessment of the Teflon microplastics and nanoplastics, given that Teflon is a family member of PFAS.”
Researchers at the Southern California Environmental Health Sciences Center in the US previously found that forever chemicals could also be lurking on pots, spoons and other household items.
The chemicals, the experts said, can increase your risk of a common liver cancer known as non-viral hepatocellular carcinoma.
EXPOSURE
The study found that those who had exposure to the toxins had a 4.5 fold increased risk of being diagnosed with the illness.
The chemical, perfluooctane sulfate, is known as a ‘forever chemical’ because it takes years to degrade in the environment.
In a statement, Dr Jesse Goodrich, who is a postdoctoral scholar at USC said: “Liver cancer is one of the most serious endpoints in liver disease and this is the first study in humans to show that PFAS are associated with this disease.”
The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in the US says these chemicals are everywhere, including on toiletries and the utensils we use to cook with.
It was previously found that PFAS are contained in the wrappers of popular fast-food chains.
A study published in October last year also found the substances in 80 per cent of McDonald’s, Burger King, Pizza Hut and Domino’s meals.
The paper was based on samples from restaurants in San Antonio, US, found small amounts of phthalates.
These chemicals are used to make plastics soft and were found in 80 per cent of the samples collected.
Read More on The Sun
The chemical is linked to a range of health problems including issues in the endocrine system which is a series of glands that produces and secretes hormones in the body, a previous study found.
Phthalates are also linked to fertility and reproductive issues, with one 2020 study having found that the chemical may ‘induce alterations in puberty, the development of testicular dysgenesis syndrome, cancer, and fertility disorders in both males and females’.