Cookware
Cookware
As more people embrace healthier eating and home cooking, new research is prompting a closer look at not just what we are cooking, but what we cook with. Several recent studies show that certain non-stick, polymer-coated cookware may release microplastics during everyday use, sometimes even when the surface appears perfectly smooth.
Scientists using advanced imaging technology found that when non-stick coatings are heated, stirred, or lightly scratched, they can shed microscopic fragments into food lab samples. (PhysOrg). Surprisingly, even a small surface crack on a coated pan was shown to release thousands of particles, while more worn pans released even far more.
Another study led by the Plymouth Marine Laboratory and research partners in Norway confirmed that both plastic cookware and non-stick polymer coated pans released measurable microplastics during simulated cooking tests. Important to note is that cookware made from non-plastic materials did not show this effect. (Plymouth Marine)
A companion article in Science of the Total Environment further demonstrated that routine cooking motions, heating, cooling, whisking, and stirring, caused coated cookware to shed particles ranging from tens to hundreds of micrometers.(Science Direct). These particles are blended into the food being cooked, making them impossible to see with the naked eye.
Additional polymer behavior research published on PubMed supports this mechanism, showing that thermal stress and friction can cause fluorinated and plastic-based coatings to break down into small fragments. (PubMed)
Why This Matters for Wellness
Microplastics are increasingly being found in the environment, food and water, and studies have already detected them in human tissues. While researchers are still working to understand the long-term health effects, early evidence suggests that reducing unnecessary exposure is a mindful step toward protecting overall wellness.
Your cookware may not seem like a major source of exposure, but these studies indicate it could be contributing more than previously realized.
Practical Ways to Reduce Exposure
If you prefer a low-toxicity kitchen, consider the following options:
- Stainless steel, cast iron, carbon steel, or ceramic-coated pans, which do not rely on polymer-based non-stick coatings.
- Avoid overheating coated cookware, which may accelerate surface breakdown.
- Replace aging or visibly worn non-stick pans.
- In general try to avoid scratching any cookware during the cooking phase, use gentle utensils and stir or whisk gently.
Raising awareness empowers us to make small, sustainable choices that support long-term health. As research continues to evolve, being mindful about the materials we use every day is a simple but meaningful step toward a healthier home and adding value to you wellness lifestyle program.
Sources:
- (PhysOrg). org: Micro- and nanoplastic release from non-stick coatings (2022).
- (Plymouth Marine) Plymouth Marine Laboratory: Study on microplastic release from cookware (2024).
- .(Science Direct).
- (PubMed) PubMed (PMID: 36030853): Polymer degradation under heat and friction.
