Teflon fume inhalation

July 4, 2011 2:58 PM

My nonstick pan was on the range when I meant to heat up something else, but I accidentally turned on the wrong burner. It was smoking when I came back 10 minutes later (!!). I inadvertently inhaled some of the fumes as I shut off the range and turned on the ventilation fan. Should I be worried about what I just inhaled?

For the condition of the pan, I found this, so I'm not too worried about whether I ruined a nice pan or not. But I couldn't find anything addressing the danger presented by the fumes, other than vague warnings to avoid inhalation. I have all of my windows and doors open to my apartment right now. Did I just poison myself?

posted by indubitable to Health & Fitness (14 answers total)

It's one of those daily modern life poisonings. Try not to do it again.
posted by mmdei at 2:59 PM on July 4, 2011 [5 favorites]

No, it happens all the time.
posted by DarlingBri at 3:01 PM on July 4, 2011

Seconding.

I ate Teflon flakes the other day, so I just looked up what the safety precautions are. You can't UNinhale the smoke, but you need to either resurface the pan or get a new one because habitual Teflon fumes will definitely give you something.
posted by the NATURAL at 3:03 PM on July 4, 2011

You're probably in better shape than if you had eaten an entire can of tuna. In other words, don't worry about it.
posted by Gilbert at 3:05 PM on July 4, 2011

We had this happen last year. Open the windows to vent the fumes and don't use the pan again. Feel free to spend the next several hours in mock-panic like you're dying, then move on. You're fine, but teflon inhalation isn't a habit you want to get into.
posted by phunniemee at 3:24 PM on July 4, 2011 [1 favorite]

It ain't good for you - polymer fume fever is real, but it'd be a lot worse for you if you were a canary.
posted by DaveP at 3:36 PM on July 4, 2011 [1 favorite]

Not much you can do here but throw out the pan and get on with life.

It's a little more work, but consider cast iron next time.
posted by mhoye at 3:59 PM on July 4, 2011

Response by poster: Wait, so I shouldn't use the pan again? I washed it off and the surface seems to be fine. I'm really hoping I don't have to throw it out, it's a nice pan.

And yeah, I have cast iron too, but sometimes I prefer something that's not so heavy.
posted by indubitable at 4:13 PM on July 4, 2011

Wait, so I shouldn't use the pan again? I washed it off and the surface seems to be fine.

I looked this up the last time I did this same thing - I threw mine out eventually, not because it's harmful or dangerous, but my experience has been that pans kind of stop being nonstick after you've abused them like that.

If it seems fine and is still nonstick, go ahead and keep using it.
posted by mhoye at 5:16 PM on July 4, 2011

You can get other types of non-stick that aren't Teflon...ceramic, for example. Safer and works just as well.
posted by Pomo at 5:18 PM on July 4, 2011

You don't have to throw it out if the surface looks to be in good shape. Just vent the room Thoroughly and wash the pan and get on with loving your life. Teflon carries a risk, sure, but you get exposed to so many other risks every day that this one is pretty minimal in comparison.
posted by ldthomps at 6:26 PM on July 4, 2011 [1 favorite]

Consider getting rid of nonstick crap and getting a decent cast iron pan, instead. If you use it properly (a tiny bit of internet research will yield plenty of info. Basically, heat it up gently, keep it oiled, use a metal spatula, and scrape it rather than soap it clean) it's a great nonstick surface.
posted by entropone at 9:45 PM on July 4, 2011

If its been over 24 hours and you haven't gotten a "teflon headache" (this is what we called it when I was doing flourocarbon R&D. It can be intense so you probably would have noticed something) then, most likely, nothing is going to happen. Don't worry about it, also eating small flakes won't adversely affect you either - just don't make a habit of it. Other than that, 2nd-ing that you move away from non-stick and get a good stainless steel pan and learn how to heat it up and use it correctly. To make food you don't really need non-stick. Here's a video from Rouxbe, (an online cooking school) on pan frying. They start with the basics of correctly heating up your pan.
posted by alchemist at 12:28 AM on July 5, 2011 [1 favorite]

The MSDS for Teflon says this about burning:

Hazardous decomposition products including carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen fluoride, toxic gases or particles may be formed during combustion. These products may cause severe eye, nose, and throat irritation or toxic effects.

Once it has stopped smoking and the room has been vented to the outside, you should be fine. Don't make a habit of it, naturally.
posted by tommasz at 8:26 AM on July 5, 2011