Asheville Citizen-Times, Rick McDaniel
Published February 8, 2006
ASHEVILLE - The commercial was pretty impressive: an egg falling gently onto a plate from a skillet treated with the new cooking miracle of the day, Teflon. No muss, no fuss, no sticking.
But two weeks ago, the Environmental Protection Agency announced a "global stewardship program" setting standards for companies to reduce their use of PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic acid), the main ingredient of Teflon, by 95 percent by 2010. An EPA panel recommended its elimination by 2015. The EPA committee reported there is "suggestive evidence" from animal studies that perfluorooctanoic acid and its salts are potential human carcinogens.
Officials with Wilmington, Del.-based DuPont Co., the sole North American producer of PFOA, took issue with the panel's conclusions. "We disagree with the panel's recommendation on the cancer classification, and we continue to support the EPA's draft risk assessment," said Robert Rickard, director of health and environmental sciences for DuPont.
The findings of the panel, which was established by the EPA's Science Advisory Board, will be reviewed Feb. 15. While the EPA is free to accept or reject the panel's recommendations, it is rare for the EPA to dismiss an advisory board's advice, according to Tim Kropp, senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization whose work has prompted increased government scrutiny of PFOA.
But enough of science. Back to cooking. And to the question this report raises: Now what?
There are other types of cookware to consider. But with a dizzying number of choices, which type of cookware is the right choice?
"I really like stainless steel," said Judy Poore of Asheville. "It's easy to keep clean and it cooks well."
Steve Bardwell of Sandy Mush likes cast iron, especially skillets. "When we fry things, it's hard to beat cast iron. It holds heat well."
"Clad-type cookware that has an aluminum core with other metals bonded to it is a good choice," said Beth Canady, co-owner of The Perfect Pot, a cookware store in Brevard. "You can use a lower hear and have less sticking than other types of cookware."
Quality cookware can be a big investment, and Canady recommends buying a starter piece and seeing how you like it before investing in a whole set. "That way you don't end up with a whole set of cookware you don't like."
Each type of cookware has advantages and disadvantages. Here is a rundown of the major players with pros and cons for each type.
Aluminum
Aluminum rules the world of restaurant cooking. Avoid the flimsy, thin pots sold in discount stores. It's a good choice if you get a professional quality set from a restaurant-supply place.
Cost: About $69 for eight-piece set of regular aluminum; about $149 for 10-piece set of anodized.
Pro: Great conductor of heat, inexpensive.
Cons: Reacts with acidic foods, can't be put in dishwasher, prolonged use may build up aluminum levels in brain and may contribute to Alzheimer's disease. Anodized aluminum has a grey coating to protect the cookware and to prevent it from reacting with foods. It eliminates most of the drawbacks, but is significantly more expensive.
Stainless steel
Stainless steel cookware is almost indestructible, economical and is the only real choice if you absolutely insist on cookware you can put in the dishwasher.
Cost: About $149 for a 10-piece set
Pros: Stainless steel since it is easy to clean, dishwasher safe, durable and low maintenance.
Cons: Does not conduct heat evenly. Many manufacturers fix this by bonding a thick disc of aluminum clad in steel to the outside bottom of the pans to improve heat distribution.
Cast iron
As the name implies, this cookware is molded out of molten iron and is available at nearly every kitchen and discount store. The step of "seasoning" cast iron cookware (cooking on a fine layer of vegetable oil to seal it and make it non-stick) has been eliminated by Lodge, the country's largest cast iron maker, who ships their cookware pre-seasoned from the factory.
Cost: About $60 for a five-piece set
Pros: Excellent heat conductor, inexpensive, extremely durable, naturally non-stick when properly seasoned, adds iron to foods cooked in it.
Cons: Extremely heavy, can?245-185?t be put in dishwasher, can rust if not cared for properly.
Enameled cast iron
This is cast iron cookware that has had a non-porous enamel coating baked onto it.
Cost: About $200 for a seven-piece set
Pros: Durable, available in many colors, will not rust, doesn't need to be seasoned.
Cons: significantly more expensive than regular cast iron, heavy.
Laminates
Laminated cookware is made by bonding two or more different types of metal together to get the benefits of both. For example if you bond a thick copper disk to a stainless steel pan, you get the non-stick durability of the stainless with the heat conductivity of the copper.
Cost: About $149-$889 for an eight-piece set
Pros: Excellent heat conductivity; durable; pretty much non-stick if used properly.
Cons: Unless pot has stainless steel inside and out with copper or aluminum laminated in the middle, it's not dishwasher-safe; expensive.
Copper
Copper cookware is the Cadillac of cookware and the dream of serious chefs everywhere. It conducts heat like nothing else and is the most beautiful cookware made.
Cost: About $650-$1,000 for eight-piece set
Pros: Beautiful, excellent heat conductor.
Cons: Extremely expensive, can't be put in dishwasher, if tin-lined must be re-tinned periodically at additional cost.
General buying tips
Thicker is better - the thicker the cook ware, the better the quality and the better it distributes heat.
Make sure handles and lids are oven-safe. Lids with loop handles have two advantages. They're easier to hold onto, and you can pass the pot handles through the lid loops and hang them on a pot rack, keeping pot and lid close by.
Caring for cookware
-Keep it out of the dishwasher, unless the manufacturer says its dishwasher safe.
-If you have food stuck to the inside, use a plastic scouring pad to remove it. If you have a problem with food sticking, you're cooking with too high temperature.
-Follow manufacturer's recommendation for care of outside surfaces - usually they'll recommend using a cleanser that's safe and will keep the cookware looking good.
SIDEBAR:
If you're not ready to give up your non-stick cookware, here are some tips for using it more safely:
# Don't let nonstick cookware sit on a burner without adding food or liquid. Leaving empty pots and pans on a heat source may allow cookware to get hot enough to release fumes which may contain potential carcinogens.
# Avoid high-temperatures. Use low or medium heat settings instead.
