A Word About Kitchen Safety

I'm sure most of us think about knives when someone says they want to talk about kitchen safety.  But knives are probably the least dangerous thing in your kitchen because you KNOW they can hurt you.  The only thing dangerous about knives is if they aren't sharp.  I know, that sounds counter-intuitive.  The thing is, when knives are dull we tend to apply more force and the knife is more likely to slip.  Slip and slip hard right into your fingers.  Ouch. 

What I want to talk about today is what we're cooking in.  Hidden danger lurking in our kitchens.  Non-stick and even cookware labeled "green" or "not-nonstick".   There's just not enough data on the green and not-nonstick to consider it safe. Teflon, which is a name brand of nonstick, can start to release toxic particles and gases in as little as 2-5 minutes on the heat.  Don't misunderstand, ALL NON-STICK does this, not just the Teflon.  Here's what really made me think.  In the real world of living on a budget not everyone can just throw out all their pots and pans, right?  The Environmental Working Group says if you are stuck with non-stick to keep pet birds out of the kitchen because birds can DIE from the fumes in a few seconds.  Does anyone remember that they used to have birds in mines because if the bird died, the people knew they had to get out before they would die too? They also suggest using the exhaust fan over the stove anytime you use non-stick.  Never pre-heat a nonstick pan and use it at the lowest possible temperatures. I have been given hand me down cookware, and have some I've acquired over the years.  Today, all the non-stick is leaving my kitchen.  Well, almost all of it.  I never realized that the inside of my oven is coated with non-stick. I loved the self cleaning feature, darn it! Boo hiss. If you want to read the full article, it's enlightening.  I have tried to cover it all here though to save you some time http://www.ewg.org/research/healthy-home-tips/tip-6-skip-non-stick-avoid-dangers-teflon#usingnonstick

So, farewell to all these items:

 

Yup, even the George Foreman®.  Best grilled cheese, but non-stick so SEE YA.  We had grilled cheese tonight, used the cast iron. Perfect and no one is breathing toxic fumes.

 

When I say toss them, I mean recycle them.  PLEASE.  Your local curbside recycling may not want them, but you can take them to a scrap metal facility and if you're lucky, they may even give you a few bucks.

Non-anodized aluminum.  New aluminum is considered safe, but if you're cooking with hand me downs like me, just don't.  Toss them.  Non-anodized aluminum can leach aluminum salts.  There are a number of things that have been linked with a toxic level of aluminum.  It's just plain not worth it.  A few of the sites I found recommend not using aluminum foil for packet cooking or storing of warm or acidic foods.  It seems that if your food is going to come into direct contact with aluminum, just say no.  So how do you know if your aluminum is non-anodized?  It will feel heavy and look like it was pressed from a single sheet. 

 

Based on what I have researched, and knowing that these were given to me when my Uncle's mother passed away, these are probably non-anodized.  I'm not willing to take the chance.  I understand that for sentimental reasons, you might not be willing to part with some things.  Try to anyway.  Your mother and grandmother love or loved you.  They would not want you cooking with something we now know is dangerous.

 

 

These might be non-stick.  I'm pretty sure I bought them myself, new, but how many years ago?  The photo is so you can see the difference in construction.  It most definitely was not pressed from a single sheet of aluminum.

 

 

What about copper?  That's a yes and no answer.  Copper bottom cookware that has stainless steel between the copper and the food is considered safe.  Not just safe, but tends to be expensive because the copper is such a perfect conductor of heat so the pan heats evenly.  Excellent for controlling temperatures, perfect for delicate sauces and stove top cooking. I personally have never seen an all copper pot.  If you happen to have one that is not lined with something, shine it and hang it up to be a beautiful decoration.  Copper when in direct contact with your food can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.  I do have a Revere Ware pot, I shined up the bottom just for this photo.  I was stunned to find that Revere Ware did at one time in their history use non-stick coatings.  Thank goodness this one is not from that era.  If you want more information on Revere Ware the history can all be found here: http://www.revereware.org/info/id10.html fascinating. 

 

 



Ok, so let's say you're willing to throw out all that questionable cookware... what is safe?
Safe alternatives... 

Cast iron.  The gold standard in this house.  Also known as "the black pot". I use my cast iron almost daily.  Beside being safe to cook in, if anyone in your house has a low iron level, cooking in cast iron will help.  Not only are there plenty of actually scientific studies to back this up. I personally had low iron at one point, so low that my doctor wanted me to take iron supplements. Iron supplements have side effects, the most common being constipation. Yea, there's got to be a better way. So, I ditched the supplements and cooked in the black pot.  Had my iron tested again about 6 months later - perfectly normal.

Stainless steel.  I have a couple of these that get used from time to time.  Stainless is also considered safe.  Stainless and cast iron below.

 

Glass.  All glass is considered nontoxic and safe.  Pyrex is a favorite here, I have never seen a glass skillet, but certainly have baking dishes in 13x9 and one larger.  The only danger associated with glass is that if you drop it, it probably will break. 

Ceramic.  Also considered safe.  Only word of caution, directly from the National Institute of Health "Some ceramic cookware should not be used to hold food. This includes items bought in another country or considered to be a craft, antique, or collectable. These pieces may not meet FDA specifications. Test kits can detect high levels of lead in ceramic cookware, but lower levels may also be dangerous."

Examples of glass and ceramic that IS safe:

 

 

Stoneware is also considered chemically stable therefore safe.  One word of caution, some stoneware contains LEAD so be sure to check the manufacturer's specifications.  According to Pampered Chef, which is the source of all my stoneware, lead is not used in the manufacture of their stoneware. However, since it's made from natural clay, it MAY contain trace amounts of lead.  They also state that it meets or exceeds all regulations and is food contact safe.  I don't like the "trace amounts" but I'm not ready to part with it yet.

 

 

Seasoned and unseasoned stoneware.

 

Silicone... is considered to be chemically inert and stable so safe.  I have a couple of silicone things that per the manufacturer is safe up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.  BUT I read in Scientific American that it's really only considered safe up to 428 degrees.  So there's a bit of a contradiction.  I figure as long as I cook at 425 or less it'll be ok.  Remember the manufacturer is trying to sell you a product.  Silicone is actually pretty floppy too, so I recommend putting something like a muffin pan on another pan with more stability, because if you dump stuff hot from the oven on you - it's still dangerous. 



So here's a little tip I use to keep my oven from being a terrible mess. Remember, we are not supposed to use the self clean feature anymore because of the nonstick. I line the bottom of the oven with a sheet of aluminum foil.  This won't help if you cook something that explodes all over your oven, but I haven't managed to do that yet.  It WILL catch anything that cooks over. 

 

 

This oven happens to have the heating element in the top, but I have done this by sliding the foil UNDER an element that is in the bottom.  If you just can't resist the self clean feature, then by all means turn on the exhaust fan.

You'll still have to clean up the racks, but I know a trick for that too.  Slide the racks out. Wrap them in old newspaper.  Place into a plastic bag.  Take this outside.  Pour and soak the newspaper with ammonia. Close up the bag and leave overnight. When you open the bag do it carefully with at least your head turned, maybe holding your breath. Honestly, if you have a respirator mask, use it. Ammonia is awful, but it works.  I open the bag and pull the racks out directly over my trash bin - the outdoor trash bin. Pull the racks, dump the mess in the bin. Rinse off the racks, let them dry and slide back into the oven.  It's literally that easy. No scrubbing necessary.

Until next time be safe and happy cooking!