Is it Safe to Eat, Vol.∞
March 27, 2023 9:07 AM Subscribe
I'd never thought I'd ask, but are these carrots safe to eat?
I steamed some baby carrots last night, but forgot to start the timer. I guess I didn't put a lot of water in the pan, and it ran dry. I forgot they were on the burner, but remembered when I smelled the burning. I turned the flame off and took the steamer out, the bottom of the pan was carbonized (formerly non-stick.) The steamer basket, like this one, was discolored, but the carrots looked fine so I threw them in a container with some candied ginger and into the fridge. I like soft, cold carrots.
This morning my brain popped into gear. I know the pan is garbage, the lid is probably fine, but I'm questioning the safety of the steamer and the carrots. The carrots smell OK, but microscopic PFAS?
I steamed some baby carrots last night, but forgot to start the timer. I guess I didn't put a lot of water in the pan, and it ran dry. I forgot they were on the burner, but remembered when I smelled the burning. I turned the flame off and took the steamer out, the bottom of the pan was carbonized (formerly non-stick.) The steamer basket, like this one, was discolored, but the carrots looked fine so I threw them in a container with some candied ginger and into the fridge. I like soft, cold carrots.
This morning my brain popped into gear. I know the pan is garbage, the lid is probably fine, but I'm questioning the safety of the steamer and the carrots. The carrots smell OK, but microscopic PFAS?
Best answer: I would not eat something that marinated in melted plastic.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 9:15 AM on March 27, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by nouvelle-personne at 9:15 AM on March 27, 2023 [6 favorites]
Best answer: No way I’d eat those.
The polyfluorinated compounds which are the basis of non-stick coatings are bad enough in their original form, but the products of their thermal breakdown are probably orders of magnitude more acutely toxic (check out all the stories of people who killed their parrots by relatively much milder overheating of non-stick cookware).
posted by jamjam at 9:40 AM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
The polyfluorinated compounds which are the basis of non-stick coatings are bad enough in their original form, but the products of their thermal breakdown are probably orders of magnitude more acutely toxic (check out all the stories of people who killed their parrots by relatively much milder overheating of non-stick cookware).
posted by jamjam at 9:40 AM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I wouldn't. Carrots are cheap and burned nonstick coating offgas is toxic.
posted by fingersandtoes at 10:03 AM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by fingersandtoes at 10:03 AM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I go by the mantra "When in doubt, throw it out." because whether or not it will actually hurt you (either in the short, long, or too long to matter term) is secondary to the seed of doubt now being sowed. For me, if I think it might kill me, I will later believe I'm dying of some horrible malady because of it. Best just avoid the situation entirely.
posted by eekernohan at 10:04 AM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by eekernohan at 10:04 AM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
If the pan had non-stick coating, definitely throw them out.
posted by amtho at 10:05 AM on March 27, 2023
posted by amtho at 10:05 AM on March 27, 2023
Response by poster: Thanks folks, carrots are out with the pan.
posted by Marky at 10:31 AM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Marky at 10:31 AM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by aniola at 9:14 AM on March 27, 2023