Is iron skillet seasoning a carcinogen [closed]

I switched to cast-iron skillet/griddle (dont know what it's technically called) recently for my omelette because I read somewhere that non-stick coating can leak carcinogen during cooking

For cast-iron pan, I see how it is recommended to season it via the oil-bake method - the coating that will then help avoid food sticking to the pan and for its longer shelf life

I want to understand that, will the oil, when heated to high temperatures for the effect of seasoning, will that oil become a carcinogen? Am I borrowing (carcinogen) from peter(cast-iron) to pay paul(non-stick)?

Best Answer

So, after a quick literature search:

There is no published evidence of cast iron seasoning carrying any special carcinogenic elements, aside from those carried by any kind of high-heat cooking in any kind of cookware. If there's a danger from cast iron, it's folks who season their cast iron in an unventilated kitchen, since the burnt oil fumes are not good for you, and the fact that folks sometimes heat cast iron to higher heats than they would other cookware, just because they can.

For that matter, quality modern nonstick cookware in many countries also lacks known carcinogens. Teflon coatings used to consist of PTFE and PFOA, of which only the PFOA is a known cancer risk. For that reason, most manufacturers in the US and Europe have made PFOA-free nonstick cookware since 2013. PTFE, the substance that actually resists stickiness, is so inert and harmless it's used to coat medical instruments. Like cast iron, the main danger is if you overheat the pan, which does release substances that are bad for your lungs (also ruins the pan).

Heck, you can even today choose from an array of pans that have a non-PTFE nonstick coating.

Given all this, there are many reasons for you to chose cast iron vs teflon cookware (or even carbon steel, or many other options), but cancer risk shouldn't be one of the reasons.

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Quick Answer about "Is iron skillet seasoning a carcinogen [closed]"

There is no published evidence of cast iron seasoning carrying any special carcinogenic elements, aside from those carried by any kind of high-heat cooking in any kind of cookware.

Is cast iron seasoning harmful?

Cast iron pans can leach a sizeable amount of iron into your food, exceeding dietary intake in some cases. Acidic foods will contribute to much more leaching while an old, heavily-seasoned pan will leach much less iron than a newer one.

Is a seasoned pan carcinogenic?

The seasoning on cast iron skillet is polymerized oils and carbonized food; both these seem to have some kind of carcinogenic or heart risk (though it's currently poorly understood). Nevertheless, most people say "cast iron has been used for millennia so it must be safe".

Is pan seasoning toxic?

(It is true, however, that overheated PTFE will start to emit toxic fumes that can sicken and even kill humans. Never heat a nonstick pan past the maximum temperature that the cookware manufacturer recommends and try to keep it under 400F if you have birds around.)

Is cast iron a toxic metal?

Cast iron is generally considered one of the safe metals for cookware. Although the iron may leach into food, it is generally at small amounts that only add to the average person's daily amount.

CAST IRON Pans 101 | How to season, wash \u0026 restore

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

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