Cooking

[ZephyrTK]

Based on the FAQ from the company, how would you proceed?

My bird's sleep cage will be upstairs and I am planning on moving him there whenever I cook to be safe. Would you think this is safe to use in the house while he is upstairs, door closed and window open?


I raise exotic birds and have heard that fumes from Teflon will kill them. Is this true ?

We have heard of this before. In the Scanpan manufacturing process, the non-stick compound is actually imbedded into the material that makes up the cooking surface, unlike cheaper cookware where the Teflon coats the Aluminum base. The only way that fumes will be released from this material will be if the non-stick compound actually breaks down from excessive heat. (e.g. the pan is left empty on full flame for extended periods). If used within its normal operational boundaries, no damage should result. Obviously we cannot warrant that no damage will arise but have no reported cases of this happening. In fact since 2007, Scanpan GreenTEK is made with no PFOA, the primary harmful components for exotic birds. Once should be aware that the fumes from burning margarine are more intense than that from cookware and may cause more damage to exotic birds.

 

[DebsFlock]

It sounds as if this pan does contain PTFE even if it was manufatured using not PFOA. That makes it "greener" but not safer for birds.

When PTFE gets too hot (above about 550°F) it breaks down and releases fumes that will kill birds. The fumes are extremely deadly and they also make people sick, although not fatally. It's called Polymer Fume Fever. The fumes are SO deadly, I don't think having the birds upstairs is a guarantee. IF you did overheat the cookware, you might still lose them if enough of the fumes traveled, it does not seem that it takes very much at all to be fatal to a bird.

The good news is that very carefully and properly used PTFE pans shouldn't get that hot. However, if you like to brown burgers in your nonstick pan, the edges of the pan may get MUCH hotter than the food, possibly even hot enough to break down and release fumes. The more usual fatal scenario, however, is a distracted cook letting a pot boil dry. The FAQ says "within normal operational boundaries" but most people don't read the instructions, let alone follow them. The instructions usually say things like "use only on low to moderate heat" and "never let it boil dry". People tend to use nonstick the same way they'd use cast iron.

The safest course of action is to get rid of all PTFE nonstick and replace it with stainless steel, cast iron, ceramic-based nonstick or non-coated anodized alumnium.

If you choose to keep the PTFE based nonstick, use it for delicate applications where the pan is full and/or the heat is very low and turn the heat off if you walk away from the stove even very briefly.