Is There a Non Stick Cookware That Won't Blister?

Teflon Troubles

• In 1961, the first Teflon-coated non-stick cooking pans appeared on the U.S. market. Teflon is a trademarked substance made by DuPont Chemical Corp., and combines several potentially toxic chemicals. The danger of one chemical has been publicly confirmed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and, by voluntary agreement, companies will develop processes that inhibit atmospheric dispersion of perfloroctanic acid, or PFOA. The chemical that gives Teflon and other non-stick coatings their non-stick quality is PFTE, or polytetrafluroethelyne. The dangers of ingesting or inhaling PFTE and other chemicals used to strengthen this soft, slippery substance occur when nonstick cooking pans are heated over 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Chemicals begin to vaporize and break down, introducing potential toxins into the atmosphere.

Potential Toxic Situations

• Heat is the major agent of dispersing PFOA, PFTE and other chemicals used to bond them into non-stick coating. Pans can heat above 500 F, the initial point for vaporizing of coatings, within as little as 1 1/2 minutes. Cooking food like pan-fried hamburgers or steak over high heat can produce temperatures in the 500 to 600 F range for as long as 10 minutes. Ingesting flakes of non-stick coating, produced along with blisters in empty pans, is increased by using metal implements to turn, stir or cut food in the pan. While ingestion has not yet been established as doing toxic damage, common sense suggests that it has no benefit either.

The New Non-Sticks

• Belgian Brand Green Pan offers home and commercial cookware coated with a new PFTE/PFOA non-stick coating that is sprayed on its stainless steel or recast iron pans. Although the company claims that pans can tolerate brief episodes of overheating to as much as 850 F (an unattended empty pan), cooking should nearly take place at medium heat, with sparing use of high burner heat. Going through the owner's manual, you also encounter several warnings: hand-wash pans, never plunge a hot pan in cold water because it can warp and don't expect a non-stick surface to last the life of the pan. Blistering is not mentioned but seems a distinct possibility.

Ceramic Titanium

• The Danish firm Viking offers a lifetime guarantee: its PFOA-free ceramic titanium Scanpans will not peel, blister or warp. Viking rates its wares as ovenproof to 500 F and able to tolerate metal utensils, although pans cannot be used on induction burners. Metal utensils will produce scratches, resembling those on stainless steel pans, but not destroy the finish. Viking notes that pans are dishwasher-safe but putting pans in the dishwasher is not recommended.

Swedish Diamond

• Industrial diamond flakes are the surface hardener in Swedish Diamond pans. Cooking with diamonds, however, is not perfect. Swedish Diamond has several advantages: it's metal utensil tolerant and dishwasher tolerant. A limited lifetime warranty includes the claim that pans will not warp, peel or blister. Diamond chips appear to be one more experiment in adding hardeners to PTFE, making Swedish Diamond a member of the Teflon-but-not-Teflon class. High heat will still cause PTFE to vaporize.

Considering New Non-Stick Cookware

• Several brands of non-stick cookware warranty their products against blistering, flaking, chipping and sometimes warping. Whether they are an improvement over previous non-stick surfaces is a consumer judgment. Two elements not previously noted that can have an effect on your cookwear choices are weight and price. All the newcomers appear to be heavy and expensive; close examination of specific items you like is merited. With the new coatings, as with the old, cautions should be heeded. No matter what the changes, the new non-sticks are vulnerable to high heat and scratching, and their best performance may depend on their being washed by hand.