Another of our readers, Ginger White, shared her concern about
silicone bake ware:
“I have a concern about silicone bake ware and maybe you can address it for me. When nonstick cookware came out we thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Now I'm reticent about buying silicone for the reason that nonstick has been shown to be detrimental to our health. Do you have any information about silicone that would show it to be long term safe.
Thank You, Ginger White”
We appreciate your feedback, Ginger. Here’s what we found as we researched the answer to your concern. Hope this calms the concerns any of our readers may have:
According to Health Canada, (the Federal department responsible for helping Canadians maintain and improve their health, and a great source of unbiased research):
Silicone is a synthetic rubber which contains bonded silicon (a natural element which is very abundant in sand and rock) and oxygen. Cookware made from food grade silicone has become popular in recent years because it is colorful, nonstick, stain-resistant, hard-wearing, cools quickly, and tolerates extremes of temperature. There are no known health hazards associated with use of silicone cookware. Silicone rubber does not react with food or beverages, or produce any hazardous fumes.
In the United States Silicone cookeware is considered safe. Per the FDA:
"Silicon Cookware is inert, FDA approved and safe up to 428 degrees F. If heated above its safe range, silicon melts but doesn’t outgas toxic vapors. This is apparently because silicon is a manmade blend of sand and oxygen (versus a synthetic plastic). It is the only non-reactive, non-stick material".
The Silicone Spatula — Can’t Live Without It!
Alice’s son is a sous chef for THE GUN BARREL in Jackson, WY, and she gets a lot of tips and training from him. She asked him the other day, “What’s the ONE kitchen tool or gadget you just couldn’t live without?” He had two answers: “Two items would tie for this distinction, and there’s no question about it: my dual-ended silicone spatula and a good knife.” So this week let’s talk about the spatula and next issue we’ll look at knives.
This is the silicone spatula that will replace all your spatulas. If you've already made the switch to silicone spatulas, you know that the silicone variety do a really wonderful job scraping bowls of cookie batter, getting the last bits of sauce out of a pan, and generally making the process of cooking cleaner and more efficient. In addition, silicone has a much higher melting temperature than the thermoplastic typically used--650° v 230°--so you can use these spatulas in the fry pan (usually ~375°). The soft silicone is safe for coated pans, which is a definite plus.
This particular silicone spatula is made with the silicone cast around a steel core. This gives the handle the rigidity of other spatulas, without the awkward and ingredient-trapping transition from spatula to handle. The silicone over steel makes a very comfortable grip, and the whole thing can be cleaned in the dishwasher. This design also allows them to make the spatula dual-ended, with a useful narrower scraper that is great for getting the last peanut butter out of jars.
Alice’s son has been using his for over a year, and it shows no wear. “It is easily my most used utensil in the kitchen, and has relegated many other tools to the Goodwill bin,” he said. These spatulas are running around $10.00 and with proper care, can easily last for years.
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