Does Teflon Contain PFOA?

I do not trust the Food Network Website as a source, in general. While I might rely on it for general cooking instruction, its reliability in regard to other types of food-related information is spotty, at best. So, I wasn’t surprised to find this statement in an article rating the best nonstick cookware: “…most nonstick pans no longer contain Polytetrafluoroethylene (PFOA), better known as Teflon.”

There are many fears about PFOA leaching into our food, but I wonder if the mistake in this article is reflected in the general public’s understanding. Polytetrafluoroethylene is PTEE and Teflon is polytetrafluoroethylene or PTFE rather than PFOA.

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Until 2013, PFOA, or Perfluorooctanoic acid, was used to make Teflon coatings and other fluoropolymers. PFOA is among a group of chemicals called perfluorochemicals (PFCs) used to make fluoropolymer coatings and products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease, and water.

Technically, known as an aqueous dispersal agent, PFOA was used chiefly in the manufacture of Polytetrafluoroethylene, or Teflon. It was supposed to burn off during the manufacturing process but some remained behind in the coating.

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Health Fears of PFOA

There are many health fears concerning PFOA in nonstick cookware and other products. It was feared that it would leach out of the non-stick coatings in into our food. And, regardless, PFOA has already found its way into our water sources and we are all exposed to certain levels of it.

It persists in the environment and does not break down. The long-term health effects in humans have not been determined.

In laboratory animals given large amounts, PFOA can affect growth and development, reproduction, and injure the liver. In humans, it is linked to health conditions like chronic kidney disease, thyroid disorders, liver disease, testicular cancer, infertility, and low birth weight, but it is not clear that there is a causal relationship between these conditions and levels of PFOA in the body.

closeup of nonstick teflon coating — Closeup view of Teflon nonstick coating

Is PFOA Used in the United States?

Since around 2002, manufacturers began using a different process to make polytetrafluoroethylene not requiring PFOA. In the late 1990s, the EPA received information indicating that PFOAs and other perfluorinated compounds such as PFOS and PFSA were widespread in the blood of the general population and presented concerns for persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity.

Concerned, the EPA began discussions with 3M, the manufacturer of PFOS, and the company terminated production of these chemicals.

As well, in 2006, the EPA initiated a program called the PFOA Stewardship Program, inviting eight major leading companies in the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) industry to join in a global stewardship program with the following goals:

no later than 2010, a 95 percent reduction, measured from a year 2000 baseline, in both facility emissions to all media of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), precursor chemicals that can break down to PFOA, and related higher homologue chemicals, and product content levels of these chemicals
To commit to working toward the elimination of these chemicals from emissions and products by 2015.

The following companies were involved:

Arkema
Asahi
BASF Corporation (successor to Ciba)
Clariant
Daikin
3M/Dyneon
DuPont
Solvay Solexis

All these companies have met the goals.

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According to the EPA, PFOA is no longer used in the United States. However, it is still used in imported items and these may be used in other products made in the USA, including in textiles.

If you buy a nonstick pan manufactured in America, you need not fear PFOA. Teflon and other nonstick coatings are considered inert.

While they could enter your body as the coating breaks down, they will not react inside your body and there is no cancer or other health fears associated with them.

Reactions to Teflon and Other Nonstick Coatings

While Teflon coatings are safe, you should exercise some basic caution. If you heat a pan over very high heat for too long at temperatures above 500°F (260°) or above (570°F is generally reported) the coating can start to gas off and release toxic fumes.

This can cause coughing, an irritated throat, and, in extreme cases, even flu-like symptoms like fever, aches, and chills, known as polymer fume fever.

These symptoms are temporary and are usually similar to those caused by exposure to any irritating chemicals or even household dust. The onset of symptoms is 4–10 hours after exposure, and the condition usually resolves within 12–48 hours.

In a very small number of cases, lung damage and even pulmonary edema have occurred. However, these involved heating the Teflon to very extreme temperatures of at least 730°F (390°C) for extended periods of up to four hours.

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Confusion exists about a chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) causing many people to confuse this compound with Teflon.
A Food Network article on the subject contains a statement that illustrates this confusion: “most nonstick pans no longer contain Polytetrafluoroethylene (PFOA), better known as Teflon.”
This confusion is related to fears of PFOA leaching into our food,
Teflon is made from polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), not perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).
PFOA was previously used in the manufacturing of Teflon but has not been used since around 2002.
Major companies have phased out PFOA and committed to eliminating it from emissions and products by 2015.
Teflon and other nonstick coating are considered safe, but can release toxic fumes if heated to very high temperatures (above 500°F/260°C).
PFOA is no longer used in the United States, but may still be present in some imported products.