TEFLON COATED PANS AND PLASTICS LONG AGO LINKED TO INFERTILITY

PTFE, PFOA, chemicals in nonstick Teflon pans and BPA linked to CANCERS AND INFERTILITY. UNIVERISTY OF ROCHESTER

Numerous years ago I read about the dangers of using Teflon coated pans in Readers Digest no less and this weekend looked into buying a waffle iron I knew would be coated with the nonstick stuff, however I found one that was ceramic coated, and free of PFOA and PTFE at Walmart. Now I need to know is it BPA free? On the box it did not say nor does this article really say. It appears to be the same coating as they line aluminum cans, which I discovered is not BPA free as I had thought. Anyway the link with pans and cans not free of the following chemicals has been linked strongly with cancers and infertility.

BPA FREE AND PFOA FREE – WENDY BLANCHARD, M.S.
I have begun cooking and baking with cookware that is free of PFOA and PTFE. Although the research is conflicting, I don’t want to put anything into my body, or in my home that is toxic, so I have invested in new cookware that is free from any toxins. In an article from the University of Rochester Medical Center it states, “You probably have some pots, pans, or baking tins in your kitchen that are coated with Teflon. The chemical name for Teflon is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). This chemical is what keeps food from sticking to nonstick cookware and it has been used commercially since the 1940s.
The potential problem with nonstick cookware comes from another chemical used in making Teflon. This chemical, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), has been linked to cancer in laboratory animals, and possibly linked to elevated cholesterol, thyroid disease, and reduced fertility in people.
PFOA has come under scrutiny by the EPA because the chemical has shown up in samples of people’s blood. This concerns the EPA because PFOA lasts a long time in both people and the surrounding environment. The EPA doesn’t know how dangerous PFOA is to health. For now, the agency says that the evidence for its causing cancer is “suggestive.” The long term health effects of PFOA are being intensively studied by the EPA along with other agencies.”
To read the article in its entirety, visithttp://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?
In addition, all of the plastic that I store my food in is BPA free. BPA stands for bisphenol A. This is a toxic chemical that has been used to make certain plastics since the 1960’s. In my research, I have learned that BPA can get through to food and drink from the containers that they are housed in. This is of great concern to our health because there are possible effects from BPA on the brain, and may affect unborn babies. The FDA claims that BPA is safe in low levels, however, I’d rather not allow any type of chemical into my body. Therefore, I use BPA free food containers, and even my water bottle is BPA free.
To reduce your exposure, you can do the following:
1. Purchase products that are labeled BPA free. Some plastics marked with recycle codes 3 or 7 may be made with BPA.
2. Try to eliminate using canned foods since most are lined with BPA-containing resin.
3. Use porcelain, glass or stainless steel containers for hot foods and liquids.
To your good health!
Wendy



University of Rochester Medical Center
URMC.ROCHESTER.EDU