PTFE-coated cookware: current status and alternatives
PTFE, also known as Teflon, has been the standard non-stick coating for frying pans and cookware for decades. Tobias Gerfin of the Federation of the European Cookware, Cutlery & Houseware Industries (FEC) explains why PTFE remains popular and explores emerging alternatives.
Although PTFE meets most user and regulatory requirements, it belongs to the PFAS family. As a result, regulators in some regions are seeking replacements. Research has been ongoing for years, but only sol-gel siloxane coatings have gained market traction so far. However, these do not yet match PTFE’s performance, leaving room for innovation.
Why PTFE is so effective
Cooking pans face tough conditions. They must handle temperatures from 90°C to 230°C, acidic or alkaline foods, and polar or non-polar bases like water or oil. Pans expand and contract with heat, work on gas, electric, and induction, and endure mechanical wear from utensils. They also face aggressive cleaning chemicals in dishwashers.
PTFE meets these demands exceptionally well. It is non-toxic, non-carcinogenic, stable, and not absorbed in the human digestive tract. Authorities such as Germany’s BfR and the U.S. FDA have confirmed its safety. PTFE also provides excellent non-stick properties, allowing cooking with less oil and preventing food from sticking.
Concerns and regulatory focus
Despite its safety, PTFE is under scrutiny because it is a PFAS. Legislators are concerned about emissions of other PFAS during manufacturing, use, and recycling. Historically, PFOA was a concern, but it has been replaced by safer surfactants like GenX. Current emissions from European cookware production are negligible.
PTFE is stable up to about 350°C, far above typical cooking temperatures. Cooking oils, by contrast, decompose at 220°C to 280°C, so they pose a greater risk than PTFE itself.
Disposal and environmental impact
At the end of its life, PTFE-coated pans can be recycled. Metals are melted down, and PTFE decomposes, with small PFAS captured in air filters. Estimated emissions are extremely low, representing 0.0003% of total European PFAS emissions. Landfill is the alternative, though it wastes valuable metals. PTFE is stable in the environment and not bioaccumulative, posing minimal ecological risk.
Alternatives under research
Despite PTFE’s advantages, alternatives are being explored due to regulatory pressures and a desire for longer product lifetimes.
Sol-gel siloxane (ceramic) coatings are the main option on the market today. They provide non-stick properties through added food-grade silicone oils. These coatings perform well at mild temperatures up to 160–170°C, but the oils degrade at higher temperatures, reducing effectiveness. Ceramic coatings are applied by spray rather than roller coating, making low-cost production difficult.
Surface treatments like mechanical structuring, plasma treatment, or etching can create non-stick surfaces, but they currently offer limited lifespan and don’t fully prevent metal migration into food.
Other materials under study include PEEK, graphene oxide, and lanthanide oxides, but they face cost, safety, or supply challenges. These solutions are not expected to reach practical use within 5–10 years.
The current conclusion
PTFE remains the best solution for non-stick cookware today. Sol-gel siloxane coatings are improving but are not yet fully equivalent. Other alternatives are still experimental. The search for better coatings continues, offering significant opportunities for innovation in a market that produces over 100 million units annually.
