Are silicone baking mats and molds safe to use at high oven temperatures?
Use caution. Silicone bakeware can release cyclic siloxanes into food simulants and indoor air during baking, especially when products are new or lower quality.
What's actually in it
Silicone baking mats, muffin molds, and baking cups are usually made from polydimethylsiloxane, or PDMS. That makes them flexible and heat resistant.
Silicone is not the same as thin plastic wrap. But it can still contain small leftover compounds from manufacturing. The main concern for hot bakeware is cyclic siloxanes, often called D4, D5, D6, and similar names.
What the research says
A 2025 study in Journal of Hazardous Materials tested 25 silicone bakeware products. The researchers found 680 to 4300 micrograms per gram of total cyclic siloxanes in the products. During 60 minutes of baking at 177 C, siloxanes moved into a fatty food simulant and were released into indoor air.
A 2019 study in Environment International tested 14 silicone baking molds. It found volatile methylsiloxanes in indoor air during baking and in cake samples, especially near the edge of the cake. Levels dropped after repeated baking cycles.
A 2022 study in Food and Chemical Toxicology found that better cured molds stayed below the global migration limit used in the study. Lower quality molds went above that limit, so the authors did not recommend those molds for food contact.
What to do at home
Do not panic if you already own silicone bakeware. Use it within the maker's temperature limit, avoid broiling, and ventilate the kitchen while baking.
For oily batters, long baking times, or food for babies and young kids, choose glass, stainless steel, or porcelain when that swap works. For small baked portions, porcelain ramekins can replace some silicone molds.