I’m adopting a parrot next week. Actually, technically it is a parrotlet. Yes, that is the real name and yes, it is just like it sounds – a tiny parrot. If you know me at all, you know I’m a researcher. I am the Queen of Research. No related posts.]]>

I’m adopting a parrot next week.  Actually, technically it is a parrotlet.  Yes, that is the real name and yes, it is just like it sounds – a tiny parrot.

If you know me at all, you know I’m a researcher.  I am the Queen of Research.  I have never owned a bird before (although my dad owned a cockatiel when I was growing up.  That bird was a JERK.), so there’s been a lot of research involved in this decision.  I really thought I had all my bases covered, all my plans in place, all contingencies thought of and accounted for.

The item that more or less escaped me was Teflon pans.  I remember reading about the non-stick pan issue a couple of times, but for whatever reason, it didn’t really register.  Teflon pans are not bird-safe.  Okay, no problem, whatever, moving on to more interesting things and more YouTube videos of parrotlets doing cute things.  Like this one.  Hi, little guy!

It didn’t hit me until last night that what they really meant was all non-stick pans, or any pans with coatings that contain PTFE or PFOA.  Upon rummaging through our cupboards, I discovered that um… that’s pretty much all of our pans.  Oops.  What started out as a quest to figure out whether our pans were bird-safe turned into a fascinating exploration into the pros and cons of different types of cookware.

Interestingly enough, this is research I’ve been meaning to do for some time.  The as yet unnamed parrotlet (suggestions?) the canary in the mineshaft in the kitchen.  PTFE and PFOA are potentially deadly to birds.  But they’re not so great for us humans either!  I’ve known this for months and it’s just one of those things I can’t seem to get around to doing.  But I’ll do it for the bird.

PTFE and PFOA

The issue with PTFE and PFOA coatings comes when they start breaking down.  Remember the really old pans where the non-stick coating would literally flake off into your food?  That clearly posed a hazard.  Fortunately for us, non-stick coatings have come a long way since then.  But they still pose a hazard in two different ways.  First, non-stick coatings do break down.  Anyone with an old set of non-stick pans can vouch for the fact that their pans are less non-sticky than they were initially.  Non-stick coatings break down over time and under stress, including scratches from inappropriate utensils, impact from being thrown into the cupboard a thousand times, and being cleaned in the dishwasher over and over again.  The result is that we end up consuming these chemicals with our food, which may cause a variety of health issues.  This is another case where we’re only beginning to identify the long-term effects of chemicals introduced fifty years ago.

The other big concern with PTFE and PFOA coatings is the fumes they release under high heat and, if the non-stick coating has been physically compromised (scratches, dents, etc.), lower heats as well.  These fumes are the reason my non-stick pans are currently sitting in a pile on the kitchen counter awaiting their fate.  While they typically only cause flu-like symptoms in humans, they are deadly to birds.  Now, I could continue to cook with my non-stick pans and just be very careful to keep them at a low heat.  Or I could just do the safe thing for all of the creatures that live in my house, myself included, and find better alternatives.

I won’t even go into the fact that PTFE and PFOA are bad for the environment.  They are.

(Oh and by the way, they’re regulated in the US under the Toxic Substances Control Act, and I would imagine in Europe under the much more stringent REACH guidelines.)

Human (and Bird)-Safe Cookware

After extensive discussion over Twitter with a cookware expert (@SizzleMel / @CookAndCraft – seriously, she knows SO much!), I discovered there are a few really good options for safe-for-everyone cookware that should meet anyone’s cooking needs.

Cast Iron: Seasoned cast iron is awesome, and if properly maintained, should be virtually non-stick.  Also, can you say yum to cast iron biscuits, dutch oven recipes, griddle pancakes and bacon?  Yum!  However, you cannot cook reactive things in cast iron (tomatoes, lemon juice, fascinating reactive food experiments), so it won’t meet all your cooking needs.

Stainless Steel: Non-reactive, but not technically non-stick.  However, some quick googling will reveal non-stick cooking techniques for stainless steel pans.

Enamel: Another option is enamel.  I covet enamel cookware because it is non-stick-ish, oven safe, and adorably utilitarian.  (Have you seen the cute colors??)  My highly informed source tells me you get what you pay for with enamel.  Sadly, I still don’t think that Le Creuset is in the budget.

There are a few more choices for safe cookware alternatives, but I think these are the three I’m going to go with for the time being.  And while I will very much miss my teeny tiny non-stick frying pan that is the perfect size for making single-serving everything, I won’t miss all the risks that go with it.

Do you still have non-stick cookware in your house or have you made the switch?  What’s your preference for all of your cooking needs?

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