Breaking News: Teflon Cookware Safety Concerns and Implications

[Pampered Laura]

WOW, what do you think this means for us/our new cookware?
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060129/NEWS06/601290434/1012/NEWS06

 

[heat123]

Dupont and EPA statement release infoDupont and EPA statement release info

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EXECUFLASH
One Pampered Chef Lane, Addison, IL 60101-5630




Dear Executive Director,



I would like to address an issue that has appeared in the news recently regarding an agent used in the manufacture of Teflon®. The issue raised in the media relates to emissions from the manufacturing process at DuPont facilities, not to products with a Teflon® coating, like cookware.



Earlier this week Dupont pledged its commitment to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to eliminate the emissions of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) from its Teflon® manufacturing facilities by 2015. Yesterday it was reported by the Chicago Tribune and other news agencies that both the EPA and Dupont agreed that consumers who use cookware with Teflon® coating can be confident that the products are safe to use.



On its website, Dupont reports that rigorous scientific testing has shown that PFOA is not released from Teflon® non-stick cookware even under some extreme cooking conditions. According to DuPont, studies show that even when cookware coated with Teflon® was scratched with a knife, no PFOA was detected under typical consumer use conditions.



We encourage you and your customers to continue using Pampered Chef Cookware with confidence. If you have any questions or would like more information, please refer to DuPont's Web site @ www.DuPont.com or www.Teflon.com.



Please feel free to share this with your downlines.



Thank you,



Rich Hlava

Senior Vice President, Operations

Just thought I would share from my cluster group!

 

[jenniferlynne]

I saw the interview on the news one morning with the Whistle Blower from DuPont. He said DuPont has know for a very long time that more of the chemical is getting into our bodies than it's supposed to and they kept it quiet. He said this chemical is on everything. Even the inside lining on a bag of french fries from fast food places and microwave bags of popcorn. I almost flipped when I heard that. When ever my step-daughter eats a bag of popcorn, she likes to lick the butter off the inside of the bag. Hard telling how much of this stuff she has ingested.

 

[Seamstress]

How do you respond to a customer when they bring up the cancer risk with Teflon?

 

[cla519]

I've heard that Teflon is in our clothes, on our furniture and in our carpets. Everything that has a stain resistance has Teflon. There is really no getting away from this stuff.

 

[rwesterpchef]

...When ever my step-daughter eats a bag of popcorn, she likes to lick the butter off the inside of the bag....

Oh, me too, but at least I'll die happy (and fat) - ha!

 

[adventurechef]

another teflon articleHere's an article/transcript that a local tv newscast ran about teflon. Dr. Low is their resident medical expert.

This has gone out to the cluster that I'm in. The more info we know about it the more educated answers we can give to our customers.

Linda

 

[PC Latoya]

I was just reading some more info on this.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20060223/hl_hsn/teflonlinkeddangersmaynotstick
Has anyone had costumers express concern about this? I find that people do not want to put themselves further at risk by purchasing cookware with the PFOA although the risk is slim. Is there anyone else thinking this is bad timing with the launch of the new cookware. Or are your customers not concerned?

 

[KarensChefsClub]

www.teflon.comwww.teflon.com

THis website has some great information about the recent news articles. I will be printing these out for my clients who question the use of Teflon.

 

[LindaK]

It will always be something.

If I run into this situation, I will respond with confidence, saying something like...."our cookware is safe and has been tested. In this day and age of lawsuits, PC wouldn't continue to bring new and better designed products with the same coating if it were harmful to ones health.

HOWEVER, if you are uncomfortable with it, I understand. Don't buy it. Perhaps you might be interested in one of our baking stones?"

 

[prepchef]

PFOA'sIt is my understanding from DuPont and others that the finished product that actually gets on our pans does not contain PFOA. It is a by-product during the manufacturing process, but not in the finished product.

And like others, we probably get more from our french fries!

 

[Dreamchef]

Is our cookware Safe around birdsI had a customer ask me if our new pans were safe to use with her birds in the house. There is an emission gas that is deadly for her feather friends.

Does any one have information I can send to her?

Many Thanks

 

[its_me_susan]

I had a customer ask me if our new pans were safe to use with her birds in the house. There is an emission gas that is deadly for her feather friends.

Does any one have information I can send to her?

Many Thanks

I got the same question and these answers from test kitchens or product specialists:

Executive cookware

Applies to any nonstick cookware (the fumes being potentially toxic) when overheated.

As long as they (birds) are not near the cooking ~ and it is well ventilated, the birds will be ok.


Incident where fumes are toxic to bird:
* Toxic fumes when pans have been allowed to burn for 6 hours.

* Aerosol sprays are also harmful to birds (just an FYI)

* Stir-frying should be short-high heat cooking (only time cooking high is heat)


Precautions
* Keep birds out of kitchen when preparing food.
* Never let pans overheat. Use medium to medium heat.
* Don’t preheat & forget about it (only a few min),
* Don't boil anything dry ~ it might emit fume (overheats cookware).
Proper ventilation.
* Keep pans heated below 500 degrees will be fine. - - How to know: Put a little oil in pan - Vegetable or canola oils will smoke & burn at about 400.

* Olive oil burns around 380.


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then this email was received:
You may have read or seen news stories recently about the safety of nonstick
coating in cookware.

If your customers have questions or concerns about the safety of The
Pampered Chef's nonstick-coated cookware and bakeware, please share with
them that by following our Use and Care guidelines, our nonstick cookware
and bakeware is safe for everyday in home use. In addition, the U.S.
government says there is no reason for consumers to stop using nonstick
cookware.

Please be aware of the following information:
* The normal temperature range for stovetop cooking is 400-470 degrees
Fahrenheit (200-240 degrees Celsius). These are the medium to medium-high
heat settings recommended for most recipes. Temperatures higher than 500
degrees F (260 degrees C) may start to change the nonstick properties,
however this temperature exceeds normal cooking usage and is NOT
recommended.

* Our Pampered Chef cookware is oven safe to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C),which is well below reported unsafe temperatures.

* Do not leave empty cookware or lids on a hot burner, or allow liquids to
boil dry, as overheating may damage the nonstick interior.

* Never leave cookware in use unattended.


You may also find these cooking and baking temperature guidelines useful:
* Water boils at a temperature of 212 degrees F (100 degrees C).

* The normal temperature of a frying pan while meat is cooking can range
from 400-470 degrees F (200 to 240 degrees C).

* Most baked goods - such as cookies or cakes - are baked at temperatures in the range of 325-400 degrees F.

Feel free to share this information with your downline, hosts and guests.