Beware of “pan flu”, the new illness that awaits you in the kitchen!

Nausea, headaches or even chills… You’ve been cooking all evening and now you feel feverish, as if you’ve been caught by a virus? Perhaps you’re suffering from a little-known illness called “stove flu” (or “teflon flu”in English). The growing phenomenon is currently worrying scientists. The Washington Post made it its front page this summer.

Stove flu, a consequence of chemical coating

Under this strange name, there is actually a rather unsavoury fact: this flu-like condition is linked to the inhalation of smoke emitted by overheated Teflon non-stick pans. An in-depth study of recorded cases has established that this condition occurs after cooking. More precisely, after using a pan with non-stick coatings containing polytetrafluoroethylene or PTFE, which is found on these pans.

The discovery of heptadecafluorooctanoic acid or PFOA in these coatings has also long been problematic, with the substance being classified as carcinogenic to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (The Circ) in December 2023. In France, a ban has been in place since 2021, but residues may exist.

The symptoms are those of a classic flu.

Medically, the symptoms of stove flu are no different from a regular flu, hence the new name.

• Headaches and dizziness;
• Fever and chills;
• A feeling of general fatigue;
• Nausea and vomiting;
• Cough and chest tightness.

However, these occur only a few hours after the stove is used. And could last 48 hours.

Still opaque substances in our utensils

Consulted on the subject, Dr Alain Collomb, general practitioner and member of Asef (Association Santé Environnement France) reminds us that this “flu” is not new, since it was already mentioned during a first alert on Teflon in the 1950s. The successive alerts do not surprise him.Teflon is included in all of these products that were perceived for a time as major products, such as plastics, waterproofing agents, flame retardants or even insecticides. In fact, we have realized in the last 20 or 30 years that they release toxic substances.” However, the long-term effects are still little known.

So yes, PFOAs have been banned since 2021, and are no longer supposed to be found in our utensils and pans. But the expert sees two obstacles to this announcement:

“First of all, we need to see what we can replace it with. This is a bit like the case with bisphenol, to replace A we used B which was ultimately just as toxic. The famous Pfoa specific to Teflon has been banned since 2021. We have therefore released similar products without Pfoa, which are GenX polymers or PFBS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid)). But what do we really know about these other substances in the long term?”

The other obstacle is French and European legislation.”In new pans, in principle, Pfoa should no longer exist. But I say in principle, because I suppose that as with the ban on plastics and pesticides, we always find a little, we are entitled to a few exemptions… Today, to have a precise vision of our purchases, we must use all possible applications (Quel produit, Yuka…) to check for the absence of Pfoa. It’s the only way to be sure.”

To best avoid toxic substances in one’s environment, measures are rare. But when it comes to his kitchen and stoves, the doctor is pragmatic:

• Getting rid of your old pans;
• So check the composition before buying new ones;
• Avoid heating your pan above 260°;
• Prioritize stainless steel utensils”and if we can do without non-stick pans, that’s even better!” concludes the doctor.