Yes, Teflon Flu Is Real — Here’s How to Lower Your Risk

There’s a lot of chatter out there right now about “Teflon flu,” an illness you can develop from using pans coated with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). With that, it’s only natural to wonder what you can do to lower your risk of getting this illness. 

If you have pans coated with PTFE at home, Teflon flu is a real risk, according to the National Capital Poison Center. But given that some foods cook better on a non-stick surface, there’s no reason to toss your Teflon pans based on this fear alone. Still, chefs say that there are steps you can take to keep yourself safe in the kitchen when cooking with PTFE-coated pans. Here’s what they recommend, along with some basics on Teflon flu. 

What is Teflon flu, exactly?

Teflon flu, which is also called polymer fume fever, is a condition where people get sick after being exposed to fumes from pans coated in PTFE, aka Teflon, the National Capital Poison Center explains. 

This can happen when a pan is left on a burner too long and it overheats or goes dry, the organization says. When that happens, airborne particles that contain metallic oxides are released, which can be inhaled, according to the Missouri Poison Center. Teflon flu can cause a range of symptoms, including fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle aches, and dry cough. Basically, it can make you feel like you have the flu, but it’s caused by your cookware.

How to lower your risk of Teflon flu

Chefs say there are a few things you can do to lower the risk of Teflon flu if you’re cooking with pans that contain PTFE. 

Turn on a vent hood or fan. 

This is important “anytime you cook,” says Sisavath Keovilay, PhD, chef and baking and pastry university department chair at Keiser University Center for the Culinary Arts. “It’s always good practice to use a vent hood system due to the smoke point of food and the chemicals used to cook the food,” he adds. 

A vent hood is important “to recirculate the air in your kitchen when you are cooking because of the fumes and particulates that are created,” says Shawn Matijevich, lead chef-instructor of online culinary arts and food operations at the Institute of Culinary Education. If you don’t have a vent hood that vents outside, opening a window may help. 

Turn your vent hood on early, and keep it running. 

Matijevich recommends turning the vent hood on before you begin cooking. “Leave it running until about 20 minutes after you are done to be safe,” he says. This will help clear out any odor or fumes that remain, Keovilay says. 

Preheat your pan properly

You never want to preheat a Teflon pan without something in it, Matijevich says. “Even if you just start with the butter or oil that you plan to cook your food in, that should be enough to reduce the chances of the coating breaking down,” he explains. 

If you’re using a cooking method where preheating to high heat is important, like searing and sautéing, Matijevich recommends using a different type of pan than Teflon. 

Consider using a different type of pan entirely

While Teflon is a big name in non-stick cookware, chefs say you don’t need to use them. “You can get the same nonstick benefits from using a blue steel or cast iron pan that is properly seasoned,” Matijevich says. “I personally don't use Teflon pans at home and only use them professionally when I'm cooking a lot of eggs or specialty items where the Teflon is going to give me an efficiency advantage.”

Keovilay agrees that there are other options. “If you are concerned about using Teflon pans, I would recommend investing in a good cast iron pan,” he says. “When a cast iron pan is well seasoned, nothing will stick to it.”

Blue steel and cast iron pans “last forever” and may simply be a safer alternative, Matijevich says. “There is no coating that breaks down and you don't have to worry about overheating them,” he adds. 

What to do if you experience symptoms

If you happen to get sick with what you suspect is Teflon flu, it’s best to turn off the heat on your cooking surface and get to fresh air, according to Missouri Poison Center. Drinking plenty of water and taking medications like ibuprofen and acetaminophen if you’re uncomfortable should help, too.