Could Your Nonstick Air Fryer Basket Make You Sick? Here's What You Need to Know
Key takeaways
- Air fryers have surged in popularity over the last decade, with some 70% of US households either owning an air fryer or planning to buy one within the year.
- There are, however, best practices for using an air fryer or other chemical nonstick-coated cookware to avoid Teflon Flu and other health hazards.
- So is your air fryer at risk of releasing toxic emissions that could cause Teflon Flu?
Air fryers have surged in popularity over the last decade, with some 70% of US households either owning an air fryer or planning to buy one within the year. Air fryers offer a faster way to cook a wide range of foods with less oil. While avoiding excess cooking oil can be a boon for your health, most air fryers are manufactured with chemical nonstick baskets, which raises questions about the health risks of using them.
Quality Teflon and synthetic fluoropolymers are considered food-safe when used properly -- namely, not heating above a certain temperature or damaging the surface and flaking it off into food -- so there's no need to hit the panic button. There are, however, best practices for using an air fryer or other chemical nonstick-coated cookware to avoid Teflon Flu and other health hazards.
So is your air fryer at risk of releasing toxic emissions that could cause Teflon Flu?