New Delhi: Have you ever thought, the nonstick pan that you use for cooking purposes can make you sick with the flu? It sounds unheard of right, but this is leading to a strange sickness in America. Over 250 Americans the previous year fell ill due to Teflon flu, also known as polymer fume, reported the Daily Mail.
According to the report, people are experiencing symptoms of the flu including headache, body aches, fever chills and shivering. Telfon is a synthetic fluoropolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and most of the non-stick cookware is made of Telfon. The flu that is spreading across America is suspected to spread through Teflon cookware. Due to overheating nonstick cookware or scratching the Teflon pans can cause the chemicals in the coating to break down. These chemicals can get released in the air upon heating and inhaling such toxic chemicals can cause flu-like symptoms.
Reports say, the nonstick coating made from ‘forever chemicals’ of PFAS, could enter deep inside the body where they cannot be broken down. On the other hand, researchers are still trying to figure out how it happens and whether can it be a cause of irritation in the lungs. Can it cause flu-like symptoms?
Are Teflon coatings safe?
According to WebMD, Telfon is not a product on its own, but a brand name of a product. It is a chemical coating called polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).
It is a type of plastic sprayed on various items and then baked to create a nonstick, noncorrosive and nonreactive surface. As per the report, the major concern regarding Teflon coating had to do with some of its chemical properties. It is used to contain perfluorooctanoic acid — or PFOA.
This acid or chemical is a risk factor for multiple health conditions such as chronic kidney diseases, liver, disease, thyroid disorders, testicular cancers, low birth weight, and infertility.
Most of the manufacturers assumed that PFOA burns off during the process of making but the traces of PFOA were found in some Teflon-coated cookware.
Health risks of Teflon Coating
Exposure to the chemicals used to make the coating can cause symptoms of flu or people may even experience a condition called fume fever, which may show signs like:
Body aches
Chest discomfort
Headache
Fever
Chills
Reports say, the nonstick coating made from ‘forever chemicals’ of PFAS, could enter deep inside the body where they cannot be broken down. On the other hand, researchers are still trying to figure out how it happens and whether can it be a cause of irritation in the lungs. Can it cause flu-like symptoms? Health Conditions Health News: Latest News from Health Care, Mental Health, Weight Loss, Disease, Nutrition, Healthcare