Food Safety: The Best And Worst Materials For Kitchen Utensils

Traditionally, people cooked with utensils made with clay. However, clay requires patience, is expensive, breakable, and isn’t suitable to mass production. With how many people require cooking utensils, clay isn’t viable for manufacturers. Unfortunately, many of them cut corners to supply the demand for cooking utensils. In addition, the high-quality items become overpriced because they are durable.

Also, a lot of materials that were popular are now being revealed as toxic. Prolonged exposure to certain products has led to serious health conditions. For instance, studies found that the slow release of microplastics from reusable kitchenware can lead to hormone disruption. This can lead to infertility and increase the risk of developing polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Some materials are also unsafe for use, despite the manufacturer’s label. Using glass baking dishes can lead to them breaking when exposed to heat. Pyrex is a material commonly used in labs and kitchens. It’s supposed to withstand high heat but sometimes the utensils used are unsafe for the oven.

The best materials for kitchen utensils

Not all metals are great for cooking, however, some are your best bet.

Copper

Some believe that eating with copper is healthier in the long run. This is because copper leaches into foods in negligible amounts. However, it’s important to ensure the copper is lined to reduce the risk of toxicity.

Cast iron

This is popular because of how durable it is. In addition, when the cookware has been seasoned properly, it brings out flavours in food better and becomes nonstick. Seasoning the skillet or pan involves coating the surface with layers of heated fat or oil to form a hard coating. Use neutral oils to season a pan. These are oils made from vegetables, seeds, nuts, grains or fruits.

Cast iron pots leach iron into the food. Studies show that this is beneficial for people with anaemia. Because cast iron cookware lasts a very long time, they tend to be expensive. Many families even maintain them to pass down to their children when they grow older.

Anodized aluminium

This is aluminium cookware that is treated with an acidic solution. This makes it easier to clean, has nonstick properties and doesn’t leach metals into your food. When buying aluminium utensils, ensure they are anodized.

Stainless steel

This may be the most popular material for kitchen utensils. Stainless steel is a metal allow that contains iron, chrome and nickel. It’s resistant to rust and corrosion, unlike normal steel. Stainless steel distributes heat evenly making it great for baking and griddle cooking. It usually needs immediate soaking to make it easy to clean since food sticks to it easily. It’s also durable and carries minimal risk for leaching.

Ceramic utensils

These are utensils made of metal and coated with a nonstick material with a ceramic base. They aren’t dishwasher safe and don’t always heat evenly. However, they’re considered more environmentally friendly. It’s important to remember that you need to look up what the glaze is made of because some may contain heavy metals which are most harmful to your health.

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Precious and semi-precious metals

Copper has had a long history of being used in cookware, especially in India. Bronze is the most common traditional form of metallic utensil. It is a copper-tin alloy. However, you shouldn’t store acidic items in it, use metal scrapers or cook with ghee in it. Older bronze utensils could also contain lead.

Silver and gold utensils are impractical due to how expensive they are. They also distribute heat unevenly but using them for cutlery can be great for special occasions.

Silicone

They’re great for creating moulds, colanders, and other handy kitchen utensils. They’re nonstick, don’t leach harmful chemicals and have a long lifespan.

Wood

This is popular for spoons, cutting boards, cups, plates etc. Not all wood is durable and some of it can break easily. Depending on which wood is used and how the utensils are cured, some wooden kitchenware can last decades. It’s also important to remember to have separate chopping boards for meat and other foodstuffs. Some people also suggest sanitizing wooden spoons by boiling them in hot water. This is unnecessary as it makes the utensil eliminate natural oils making it more brittle.

Glass

This is popular because of how common it is. In addition, glass utensils make great décor. They also don’t react with food and can be washed by hand or dishwasher. The problem with glassware is how they react to heat and how easily breakable they are. Glass can be a great conductor of heat for baking but it can also explode when exposed to high temperatures when exposed to sudden heat. Some manufacturers also fail to correctly label whether the glass utensil is oven-safe or not. To be completely safe, go with brands that have proven themselves to be safe.

The worst materials for kitchen utensils

Teflon

This is nonstick cookware with PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene). These chemicals release toxic fumes when heated. One of the effects includes polymer fume fever which manifests are breathing difficulties, fever and sore throat. PFOA was banned in many countries. It’s recommended that you dispose of old cooking materials that may contain PFOA and PTFE. Always confirm if they have these materials before purchase. If you need your utensils to be nonstick, invest in anodized aluminium or season your cast iron utensils.

Plastic

Plastics are lightweight, convenient, cheap and durable. However, prolonged use of plastic utensils can still lead to exposure to forever chemicals or microplastics which can affect organs and lead to illness.

Scratched utensils

If you have any utensils with scratches, cracks or chips, get rid of them. Or at least, stop using them for cooking and eating. This is because damaged utensils leach unsafe materials into food which can be a health hazard. Cracks can also harbour microbes which can’t be sanitized during cleaning.

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