Even a small scratch on non-stick cookware could increase cancer, infertility risks, warns doctor

Non-stick cookware has been linked to toxic “forever chemicals” that do not break down in the human body. Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals Group and former president of FICCI, has raised concerns over the potential health risks posed by even a simple scratch on non-stick cookware.

“You would never knowingly serve plastic to your family. And yet, a simple scratch on a non-stick pan may be doing exactly that — releasing thousands, even millions, of invisible particles into the food we cook every day,” she said in a post on X.

Highlighting the immediacy of the issue, Reddy added, “This isn’t a distant environmental issue. It’s in our kitchens. In our daily lives.”

These particles may contain PFAS, often referred to as “forever chemicals”, which do not break down in the human body. “These chemicals are increasingly linked to cancer, hormonal imbalance, infertility and immune disorders,” she noted.

Reddy also pointed to the widespread nature of exposure. “Most of us are already exposed. Studies show these chemicals are present in the bloodstream of nearly everyone globally,” she said.

A study by researchers from the Global Centre for Environmental Remediation in 2022 stated that a single scratch on a Teflon-coated surface can release over 9,000 micro- and nanoparticles.

Researchers note that even a minor crack in a non-stick coating can release thousands of potentially harmful particles, with estimates rising to millions when cooking on heavily worn pans.

She suggested that individuals reconsider their cooking methods and materials. “Maybe it is time to rethink what we cook with. A simple shift to safer materials such as stainless steel or cast iron could be one of the most powerful preventive health decisions we make,” she said.

Reddy concluded with a call to action: “The question isn’t whether this affects us. The question is, what will we choose to change?”