US suffering record levels of little-known illness 'Teflon flu' that spreads from common household appliance

Toxic fumes from burning nonstick pans sent a record number of Americans to the hospital in 2023. 

Data shows that in 2023, over 250 patients were admitted with the little-known condition dubbed 'Teflon-flu', which causes fever, body aches and chills.

Cases likely haven't been this high since 2000, according to researchers at America's Poison Centers, who said the condition is rarely diagnosed because it's so hard to tell apart from other, more common illnesses.

When used properly, these pans are harmless, but many consumers are unsure about how to actually treat nonstick pans, leading to concern about their safety Julie Weber, the director of the Missouri Poison Center, cautioned.

Teflon flu can cause headache, body aches, fever, chills and shivers, officials say. Sometimes, symptoms develop immediately, other times, it takes hours

Teflon flu occurs when an individual breathes in fumes from a nonstick pan made with PTFE burns

'A lot of this comes down to a person really not cutting corners, following directions and using things properly,' Ms Weber told The Washington Post.  

There have only been 3,600 cases of suspected cases of polymer fume fever in the past couple decades. 2023 saw the biggest number of cases in decades, and researchers are unsure why - highlighting a need to raise awareness about how best to use these pots and pans. 

The global market for nonstick pans was valued at $1.7billion dollars in 2017 up from $1.3billion dollars in 2010. This suggests that more people could be buying the pans as time goes on. 

Polymer fume fever happens when nonstick cookware is heated more than 500 degrees Fahrenheit (260 degrees Celsius)- causing the chemicals in the coating to break down and be released in clouds of smoke, that when inhaled, cause coughing, body aches, fever and chills. 

The nonstick coating is made from 'forever chemicals', of PFAS, which burrow deep inside the body where they cannot be broken down. Since the condition is rare, scientists don't know exactly how it works, but it could be that the irritation the chemicals cause in the lungs leads to the flu-like symptoms. 

PFAS have also been linked to health conditions like cancer, infertility and pregnancy complications.

Sometimes, symptoms of 'Teflon flu' develop immediately after someone inhales these particles, but other times, it takes hours for symptoms to develop.

This makes the condition difficult to report.

'This is why they tell you: Don’t heat your Teflon pan to a high temperature,' Zac Hudson, an associate professor of chemistry at the University of British Columbia told The Washington Post. 

Teflon is a brand name for a specific kind of nonstick coating. It's the most widely known brand, but many other kinds of nonstick pans that don't contain have the same problem. 

These are all made from a chemical called polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). PTFE is one of many kinds of PFAS. 

Coming into contact with a little bit of these chemicals one time isn't going to harm you. 

But using products with PFAS every day for years can cause the chemicals to build up in your system.

PFAS have also been found in some area's water supply, cleaning products and food packaging, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. 

The amount of PFAS someone is exposed to from nonstick pans is probably less than the amount they're exposed to form other sources, Dan Jones, a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and the associate director of the Center for PFAS Research at Michigan State University said. 

'Most of us who work in the field would say it’s probably a very tiny fraction,' he told The Washington Post.

Experts recommend always heating your nonstick pans with butter, oil or water in it so as to avoid overheating it and breaking down the chemicals within the coating

When used properly, manufacturers and scientists both say these pans are safe. 

But it's easy for people to use them incorrectly - so much so that six of the scientists who spoke to The Washington Post said they avoid using them entirely. 

Improper use includes exposing the pans to temperatures higher than 500 degrees F, scratching the surface with metal utensils and using them in the oven or dishwasher. 

When you overheat the pan, it causes the chemicals in the coating to break down, releasing the chemicals into the air in a white smoke. Scratching the pan can also cause little bits of PTFE to start flaking off - getting into your food. 

However, Ian Cousins, an environmental chemist and professor at Stockholm University, told The Washington Post, that eating these flakes probably isn't dangerous. 

The PTFE chemicals are large and chemically difficult for our body to break down - which means they most likely pass through your system without effecting it, Professor Cousins explained. 

'I wouldn’t be concerned about that, actually. It’s just going to go straight through your body,' he said. He cautioned that inhaling the fumes should still be avoided at all costs. 

In addition, the US Food and Drug Administration said nonstick cookware does not 'presents a safety concern for consumers.' 

One of the easiest ways to avoid overheating your cookware and generating this gas is to make sure you add butter or oil to your pan before you heat it, Lisa McManus, the executive tasting and testing editor at America's Test Kitchen, told CNET. 

Ms McManus said u sing a fat on the pan 'can create invisible buildup on the pan's surface and form a barrier between your food and the nonstick surface when it's heated directly.'

If you want to avoid nonstick all together, Ms McManus recommended a ceramic, stainless steel or cast iron pan instead.