Can aromatic amines migrate from colored kitchen utensils into your food?

What's actually in it

Colored kitchen utensils like nylon spatulas, slotted spoons, and turners get their bright colors from dyes and pigments. Some of these colorants contain aromatic amines, a group of chemicals linked to cancer. When heated utensils touch hot food, these chemicals can migrate from the utensil into your meal.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Int J Environ Health Res tested commonly used kitchen utensils from the Turkish market for aromatic amine migration. The researchers found that several utensils released detectable levels of aromatic amines into food-simulating solutions. Some of the amines detected are classified as carcinogenic.

The migration was worse at higher temperatures. Using a brightly colored spatula to stir a hot pan gives the chemicals more opportunity to leach out. Dark-colored utensils tended to release more amines than lighter ones.

Choose kitchen utensils made from stainless steel, uncolored silicone, or natural wood. If you use plastic or nylon utensils, avoid using them in hot pans or with boiling liquids. Replace any utensils that are cracked, scratched, or faded.