“Forever chemicals” PFAS in the frying pan: compact insights

Poly- and perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of more than 10,000 chemicals. They are extremely persistent and both water‑ and oil‑repellent. Many substances in this group can also withstand very high pressures and temperatures. Because of these unique properties, PFAS are used in many everyday products. “A well‑known example is the non‑stick coating in frying pans, known by the trade name Teflon,” explains biologist Dr Claudia Lorenz in the “Risiko kompakt” podcast. “Other common examples include smartphone touchscreens and the coatings of outdoor gear such as tents and jackets.” PFAS are also used in numerous medical products, such as blood bags and implants, as well as in industrial facilities and technical equipment, including engines.

The persistence of PFAS is often desirable in these applications. However, their high stability poses a significant problem for the environment: “When PFAS enter the environment, they break down very, very slowly,” explains Lorenz. “This means they accumulate in the environment. That’s why you often hear them referred to as ‘forever chemicals’.”

These substances spread globally through air and water currents, allowing them to enter the food chain and be absorbed by plants and animals. To reduce the accumulation of PFAS in the environment, an EU‑level restriction process is underway. The Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the German Environment Agency and the BfR have worked with partner authorities from several other EU countries to compile a dossier outlining the scientific rationale and regulatory framework. Instead of banning individual substances, the entire PFAS group could be regulated, with only a few exceptions. “This is to prevent one banned PFAS from simply being replaced by another,” explains Lorenz. Exceptions and long transition periods may apply in areas where no viable alternatives currently exist.

In the case of kitchen accessories, however, a ban could have a more immediate impact. After all, classic non-stick coatings, such as those used in frying pans, are usually based on PTFE, a substance that also belongs to the PFAS group. Pans, pots and other cookware featuring this type of coating could therefore disappear from the shelves in a few years' time.

However, anyone who has such a pan can continue to use it without worry. After all, the planned ban on PFAS is primarily about the effects of PFAS on the environment. Health risks from the non-stick coating in frying pans, on the other hand, are quite unlikely. This is because the coating is ‘inert’, in other words, it does not react with the food in the pan. ‘The substance does not normally enter my body because it does not migrate into the food I fry or prepare,’ explains Lorenz. Even if small crumbs from the coating break off when scraping the pan and end up in the food, no health problems are to be expected: the ‘inert’ chemical properties ensure that these crumbs are usually simply excreted again: in at the top, out at the bottom. The only problem arises when pots or pans are extremely overheated. At temperatures above 360 degrees Celsius, harmful vapours can develop. ‘That's why coated pans and pots should never be placed on the hob when empty,’ advises Lorenz.

Link to the full podcast episode:

https://podcast.bfr.bund.de/11-kompakt-ewigkeitschemikalien-pfas-in-der-bratpfanne-bald-verboten-011

Quotes and original sound bites from the podcast episode may be used freely provided the source is cited.

About “Risiko” and “Risiko kompakt”

Daily newspapers, news portals and social media posts constantly warn about new health risks: plasticisers in sunscreen, microplastics in the body or alleged contaminants in food. But what is really behind these supposed dangers? And how great is the risk for me personally? In our German‑language podcast formats “Risiko” and “Risiko kompakt” (“Risk” / “Risk compact”), we get to the bottom of such topics — calm, scientifically sound and easy to understand. In “Risiko”, this happens in relaxed, half‑hour conversations. “Risiko kompakt”, on the other hand, focuses on the essence of a story and uses original audio from experts to explain the most important facts and background.

About the BfR

The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) is a scientifically independent institution within the portfolio of the German Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity (BMLEH). It protects people's health preventively in the fields of public health and veterinary public health. The BfR provides advice to the Federal Government as well as the Federal States (‘Laender’) on questions related to food, feed, chemical and product safety. The BfR conducts its own research on topics closely related to its assessment tasks.