How to tell if your nonstick pan is degrading and what’s actually getting into your food
That slick coating on your skillet is convenient — until it isn’t.
Scratches, dark spots and food that suddenly sticks can all signal that your nonstick pans are shedding chemicals into your meals, and the risk grows with every high-heat sear and every year the pan ages in your cabinet.
The concern centers on PFAS, the family of “forever chemicals” used to make cookware slippery and grease-resistant. Older pans are more likely to contain formulations the EPA has since phased out, and even newer ones break down over time.
Why nonstick pans matter for your health
PFAS — short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — is a family of thousands of synthetic chemicals used in cookware, food packaging and more.
They’re nicknamed “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down naturally in the environment or in the human body. The specific compound used to coat nonstick pans is PTFE, better known by the brand name Teflon.
Nonstick cookware is generally regarded as safe when used correctly. The trouble starts when the coating wears down or overheats.
“There are certain toxins in cookware that could actually make us sick or potentially, long-term, create an environment within our body that maybe is difficult to detoxify,” Dr. Elizabeth Bradley, medical director and owner of Advanced Functional Medicine and Longevity Center, told AARP.
5 warning signs your nonstick frying pan is leaching chemicals
The scratch test. Visible scratches or flaking mean the Teflon coating is compromised and fragments can end up in your food. A 2022 study in Science of The Total Environment found that broken coating may release 2,300,000 microplastics and nanoplastics, and surface cracks could leave behind 9,100 plastic particles.
The color test. Discoloration or dark spots that won’t scrub off signal the coating is breaking down chemically, even if it isn’t visibly peeling. Unlike seasoning on cast iron, this isn’t protection — it’s the barrier between your food and the underlying aluminum thinning out.
MORE INFO: How to choose the best non-toxic ceramic cookware for every type of cooking you do
The stick test. If food sticks where it never used to, the PFAS-based coating has worn off. Most people just add more oil, but that masks the real problem.
The usage test. PTFE begins off-gassing at around 500°F. Habitual searing on high heat is a red flag even if the pan looks fine.
“When we use nonstick cookware at normal temperatures, the PFAS are relatively inert, but the hotter it gets, the more that stuff can start fuming out of the pan,” David Nadler of the New York Institute of Technology told NBC News. The fumes can seep into food or be inhaled.
The age test. Cookware more than 3 to 5 years old — especially anything predating 2015 — is more likely to contain older PFOA-era formulations. PFOA wasn’t phased out in the U.S. until the end of 2015, per the EPA. Avoid used pans from yard sales or thrift stores.
What to do if your Teflon pans fail the test
If your pan fails even one of these checks, retire it. Safer alternatives have improved sharply in recent years. Non-toxic ceramic cookware now performs close to traditional nonstick without the PFAS concerns, and cast iron and stainless steel remain reliable choices for everyday cooking.
The bottom line: a Teflon coating isn’t forever, even if the chemicals inside it are. Inspect your skillets, replace the ones showing wear and skip the high-heat searing on anything labeled nonstick.
This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.
