In 2018, roughly 70 percent of all skillets sold in the United States had a nonstick coating. It makes sense, because nonstick cookware 바카라 게임 웹사이트� Teflon being the most common 바카라 게임 웹사이트� has several major advantages, like super easy cleanup, less food sticking to the surface and the ability to cook with less oil and butter. Still, many consumers have concerns about toxic chemical emissions. Dozens of reports and studies from both industry and outside sources have turned up conflicting conclusions. Good Housekeeping spoke to numerous experts, looked at the major studies and conducted its own lab tests at the Good Housekeeping Institute to find out: Just how safe are nonstick pots and pans?The answer is a qualified one. They're safe, says Robert L. Wolke, Ph.D., a professor emeritus of chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh and the author of "What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained," as long as they're not overheated. When they are, the coating may begin to break down (at the molecular level, so you wouldn't necessarily see it), and toxic particles and gases, some of them carcinogenic, can be released. "There's a whole chemistry set of compounds that will come off when Teflon is heated high enough to decompose," said Wolke. "Many of these are fluorine-containing compounds, which as a class are generally toxic." But fluoropolymers, the chemicals from which these toxic compounds come, are a big part of the coating formula 바카라 게임 웹사이트� and the very reason that foods don't stick to nonstick.If the danger begins when pans overheat, then how hot is too hot? "At temperatures above 500 degrees Fahrenheit, the breakdown begins and smaller chemical fragments are released," explained Kurunthachalam Kannan, Ph.D., an environmental toxicologist at the New York State Department of Health's Wadsworth Center. DuPont, inventor and manufacturer of Teflon, agrees that 500 F is the recommended maximum for cooking.How long does it take for a nonstick pan to overheat?To find out how fast a nonstick pan can reach 500 F (the point at which its coating can start to decompose), the Good Housekeeping Institute put three pieces of nonstick cookware to the test: a cheap, lightweight pan (weighing just 1 pound, 3 ounce); a midweight pan (2 pounds, 1 ounce); and a high-end, heavier pan (2 pounds, 9 ounce). The testers cooked five dishes at different temperatures on a burner that's typical in most homes. The results: Even we were surprised by how quickly some of the pans got way too hot:Safe for nonstick:Scrambled eggs 218 F: Cooked on medium for 3 minutes in a lightweight panChicken & pepper stir-fry 318 F: Cooked on high for 5 1/4 minutes in a lightweight panBacon 465 F: Cooked on high for 5 1/2 minutes in a medium-weight panRisky for nonstick:Empty pan, preheated 507 F: Heated on high for 1 3/4 minutes in a lightweight panPan preheated with 2 Tbsp. oil 514 F: Heated on high for 2 1/2 minutes in a lightweight panHamburgers 577 F: Cooked on high for 8 1/2 minutes in a heavyweight panSteak 656 F: Cooked on high for 10 minutes in a lightweight panAt very high temperatures 바카라 게임 웹사이트� 660 F and above 바카라 게임 웹사이트� pans may more significantly decompose, emitting fumes strong enough to cause polymer-fume fever, a temporary flu-like condition marked by chills, headache and fever. The fumes won't kill you 바카라 게임 웹사이트� but they can kill pet birds, whose respiratory systems are more fragile.At 680 F, Teflon releases at least six toxic gases, including two carcinogens, according to a study by the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit watchdog organization. "However, even if those gases are formed, the odds that you're going to breathe enough of them to be sick are low," said Wolke, a point corroborated by several of the experts we interviewed. What happens when nonstick starts flaking off?If cookware is flaking, you might accidentally swallow a chip 바카라 게임 웹사이트� but don't be concerned, says Paul Honigfort, Ph.D., a consumer safety officer with the Food and Drug Administration. "A small particle would most likely just pass through the body, without being absorbed and without having any ill effect on the person's health," he said.Also of less concern than previously believed: the danger of nonstick pans exposing the family to PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid). A chemical used to manufacture the fluoropolymers that make up nonstick cookware's coating, PFOA is associated with tumors and developmental problems in animals, and experts are concerned about its possible effects on humans. In 2004, DuPont agreed to pay up to $343 million to settle a lawsuit alleging that PFOA, used in the manufacture of Teflon at a certain plant, had contaminated drinking water nearby. In 2007, a study at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found an association between PFOA exposure and small decreases in head circumference and body weight in infants (except those born by cesarean section). The EPA has now reached an agreement with eight companies, including DuPont, to phase out the use of PFOA completely. Also worth mentioning is that sources of PFOA are everywhere, not just in nonstick pans made before 2015: In microwave-popcorn bags, fast-food packaging, shampoo, carpeting and clothing. Studies show that most of us have PFOA in our bloodstreams and babies show trace amounts at birth. The FDA has also tested nonstick pans to evaluate the danger of PFOA exposure to humans. "What we found was that the manufacturing process used to make those pans drives off the PFOA," said Honigfort, meaning that the chemical evaporates. "The risk to consumers is considered negligible." How to safely use nonstick cookwareYou can use nonstick safely, as long as you follow some precautions to use it properly. Any food that cooks quickly on low or medium heat and coats most of the pan's surface (which brings down the pan's temperature) is unlikely to cause problems, which includes foods like scrambled eggs, pancakes or warmed-up leftovers. And many other kinds of cooking are safe as well. In GHI's tests, the only food prep that yielded a nonstick pan temperature exceeding 600 F in less than 10 minutes was steak in a lightweight pan. But to be cautious, keep these tips in mind: Never preheat an empty pan. In our tests, each of the three empty nonstick pans we heated on high reached temperatures above 500 degrees in less than five minutes 바카라 게임 웹사이트� and the cheapest, most lightweight pan got there in under two minutes. Even pans with oil in them can be problematic; our cheapest pan zoomed to more than 500 degrees in 2 1/2 minutes. Don't cook on high heat. Most nonstick manufacturers, including DuPont, now advise consumers not to go above medium. DuPont maintains, however, that Teflon does not pose any health risks, and that its guideline is simply meant to maximize the life of the product. Do people still cook on high, despite manufacturers' instructions? "There's no statistical answer to that question," said the FDA's Honigfort. But you know if you're doing it, and if you are, the consensus is clear: It would be safer if you stopped. To play it safe, set your knob to medium or low and don't place your nonstick cookware over so-called power burners (anything above 12,000 BTUs on a gas stove or 2,400 watts on an electric range), because those burners are intended for tasks like boiling a large pot of water quickly. Ventilate your kitchen. When cooking, turn on the exhaust fan to help clear away any fumes. Don't broil or sear meats. Those techniques require temperatures above what nonstick can usually handle. Choose a heavier nonstick pan. Lightweight pans generally heat up fastest, so invest in heavier-weight cookware. It's worth the extra money. Avoid chipping or damaging the pan. We've all been told not to use metal utensils on nonstick pans. Newer products may be harder to chip, "because the adhesion between the pan and the nonstick coating is better," said Honigfort. Still, if pans do chip or flake, they may be more likely to release toxic compounds, says Kannan, of the New York State Department of Health. To prevent scratching, use wooden spoons to stir food, avoid steel wool and don't stack these pans. If you do, put a paper towel liner between them. How long can you expect your nonstick cookware to last? DuPont's estimate, based on moderate usage, is three to five years. Some experts, like Kannan, advise replacing your nonstick cookware every couple of years. What should you do if the pan does become damaged? A clear answer, from Kannan: throw it out.