Ask Lafeber

Cookware – Ask the Vet Nov 18

Green Pans states that its nonstick pans are manufactured w/o PFAS, PFOA, lead or cadmium. Might they be safe to use in a house with an Amazon parrot (separate room from th kitchen)?

Hi Lesley,

Many bird owners do use the Green Pans. The toxic components of Teflon are PFOA & PTFE. While I don’t think it was technically banned, PFOA had to be phased out of all new cookware by 2016. PTFE is still used in some cookware, and is supposedly not toxic, but most people are wise enough to avid it also. The ceramic cookware is supposed to be a safer alternative and the Green pans claim that their coating is not toxic if overheated, but advise having pets in another room. This is good advice regardless of the cookware, because even with stainless steel or cast iron, if you burned something badly enough, the smoke or fumes could be deadly to your bird. So to be safe, always have your bird in another room with a door that closes. Make sure your kitchen is well ventilated, keep your filters cleaned if you have a vent over your stove, and always have the vent turned on while cooking. And if you do burn something, open doors to the outside and turn on your AC, even if it’s the dead of winter. Keep your bird isolated in the other closed off room until you have cleared out any smoke or fumes. The issue with PTFE is that it can emit odorless, toxic fumes without being overheated, and PFOA emits odorless fumes when overheated. Normal smoke from non-toxic cookware can be cleared out quickly and isn’t likely to reach your bird if he’s in a different room with the door closed.

Thank you for your question,

Brenda