Non-stick Pans Lower Newborn's Weight

Non-stick chemical surfaces are in the news again; this time for their impact upon infant birth weight. The same coatings that save us minutes of cleanup time in the kitchen can reduce the weight of your baby according to a recent study that tested the blood from 1,400 pregnant women in Denmark and then tracked the outcome of their birth. Although the effect was small, these are the same chemicals—perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA)—that have already been clearly linked to cancer and developmental problems in animals tested. In fact, they have been shown to kill pet birds exposed through routine exposure in people’s homes.

A more detailed analysis of birth outcome and exposure to PFOS and PFOA was recently performed at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Not only did they find a reduction in birth weight, but there was also a reduction of the head circumference in the babies exposed, suggesting an impact upon brain development. The news regarding these chemicals has already convinced the EPA to persuade eight manufacturers of these BioMutagens to voluntarily phase out production by 2015. I suggest that you begin taking simple steps to protect yourself, your baby and the rest of your family now. Here’s how:
• Don’t preheat nonstick pans—temperatures high enough (600 degrees) to release these chemicals can be produced in two to five minutes. Cooking at temperatures below 400 degrees seems to be safe.
• Discard old cookware with flaking surfaces—The Green Guide suggests replacing frequently used nonstick cookware every two years, about the time they begin to degrade even if there’s no evidence of wear.
• Plan your next set of cookware—purchasing cast iron, enameled cast iron or stainless steel will provide more durable and safe cooking surfaces as well as an eco-friendly solution to this problem.
• Keep pet birds out of the kitchen—they are extremely sensitive to these chemicals and can be killed by even a single exposure to these compounds which can easily occur by becoming distracted and overheating a pan.