The Dangers of Nonstick Cookware and Appliances?

[aasweeney22]

"Non-stick cookware has a special coating, and this coating emits a colorless odorless fume when heated that kills birds almost immediately." -Moustaki

 

So do no bird owners use nonstick cookware? Especially for cooking there birds food?

 

If you do use it how far away do you stay from your birds?

[jdiprofio]

Hi there,

 

It is reccomended never to use tephlon coated pots and pans near parrots. At the very least keep the birds well away from the cooking area if you must use them. I have used them and both of my birds are fine, but the birds are in a seperate room and the house has a air exchanger.

 

One other note that is important. If you have a self cleaning oven...DON'T USE IT WITH THE BIRDS IN THE HOUSE. Again, the fumes are lethal to parrots.

 

Cheers,

 

Joe

 

www.parrothaven.ca

[Guest]

Yeah. I can only confirm jdiprofio's message hereabove, since that's what I've been reading as well. Everywhere....

[LLK_Z007]

Hey All, This is of course my first post. Teflon is dangerous to any living creature. Birds just die first.

 

Below are some links

 

An extensive article on the dangers;

http://tuberose.com/Teflon.html

 

A quick chart showing the temps at which gases are emitted;

http://www.ewg.org/reports/toxicteflon/tempgraphic.php

 

And an Article about PFIB;

http://www.asanltr.com/ASANews-98/pfib.html

 

As you see, a Teflon pan left on a burner with nothing in it can reach temps of 800 - 900 degrees. The point where Humans can die as well.<br><br>Post edited by: LLK_Z007, at: 2007/03/16 23:25

[Guest]

Hi there LLK_2007 welcome to this forum and I hope you will enjoy it

 

I've also heard that teflon is not the healthiest of substances around. So, in birds, I find it logical that those are first affected with its negative side-effects.

 

On the other hand: an open window and air-circulation should not prevent one from using such appliances, I think.

 

Do you differ in opinion about that?

[jdiprofio]

Hi All,

 

Just a quick note. There is a substancial difference in the structure and design of the bird lung and the human lung. The parrot lung has many little sacks in it. These sacks hold the poisonous fumes (gases) that are emitted from many substances, such as tephlon. That is why birds are affected more dramatically and quickly than humans.

 

Cheers,

 

Joe

[dsgnz]

There has been much talk about Teflon and parrots recently and some of it has become hard to wade through.

 

While Teflon itself is chemically inert and non-toxic, it begins to deteriorate after the temperature of cookware reaches about 490 °F[6](237 °C), and begins to significantly decompose above 660 °F (350 °C). These degradation products can be lethal to birds, and can cause flu-like symptoms in humans (see Teflon flu). By comparison, cooking fats, oils, and butter will begin to scorch and smoke at about 392 °F (200 °C), and meat is usually fried between 400–450 °F (200–230 °C), but empty cookware can exceed this temperature if left unattended on a hot burner. A 1959 study, conducted before the FDA approved the material for use in food processing equipment, showed that the toxicity of fumes given off by the coated pan on dry heating was less than that of fumes given off by ordinary cooking oils.[7]

 

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teflon

 

Basically you have to really scorch the stuff to be a problem but I don't take chances and be careful of any and all fumes around Greys