Present in many kitchens, these utensils may contain a component harmful to health.
Ladles, spoons or even spatulas, these utensils are present in every kitchen. They are essential for preparing meals. However, some of them could prove dangerous to health, according to a study published in the journal Chemosphere. An observation which recalls the recommendations concerning Teflon pans, which can contain PFAS, which are also bad for your health.
These kitchen essentials could, for their part, contain flame retardants. These synthetic substances make it possible to slow down a fire. However, they have no place in such utensils and are not even recommended for domestic use. They come, in fact, from the recycling of plastics from electronic devices.
However, these are toxic to health, recall the authors of the study: “Health problems linked to flame retardants include carcinogenicity, endocrine disruption, neurotoxicity and toxicity for reproduction and development”. The contact of utensils with hot food will also accelerate the release of such chemical components. The researchers estimated that a person could thus be exposed on average to 34,700 nanograms of these substances daily with these kitchen utensils, i.e. a greater absorption than that via dust or food.
The utensils concerned are those made of black plastic, often chosen for their cheap appearance and to avoid damaging the pans. According to the study, at least one in ten black plastic utensils contain these retardants. The highest levels were found in a Kitchenaid brand cooking spatula.
“Previous studies have been conducted in other countries where the same problem of black plastic contaminated with flame retardants has been observed, as well as studies showing that flame retardants can leach from cooking utensils into food “said the study’s lead author, Megan Liu, reports CNN.
How to protect yourself from it? It seems preferable to opt for wooden or stainless steel utensils. Stainless steel has the ability to not move, even when exposed to heat. During the study, flame retardants were found in other everyday products such as toys, hairbrushes and even food boxes.