Do Teflon and PTFE nonstick coatings shed microplastics into food when scratched or heated?

What's actually in it

Teflon and other PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) nonstick coatings are made from long chains of fluorinated plastic. When the coating is scratched, overheated, or degraded with age, it fragments. These fragments are PFAS-containing microplastics and nanoplastics that end up in whatever you're cooking.

A scratched nonstick pan looks harmless, but each scratch is exposing the base material and releasing tiny plastic fragments. You can't see them, but they're in your food.

What the research says

A 2026 study on polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, Teflon) microplastics and nanoplastics found that these particles induce oxidative stress and cellular damage in human cell lines. The particles are taken up by cells and trigger inflammatory responses. PTFE particles were distinct from other plastic particles in their toxicity profile, reflecting the unique chemistry of fluorinated compounds.

Unlike most microplastics, PTFE particles carry PFAS chemistry into cellular environments. The combination of physical particle effects and PFAS chemistry creates a more complex toxic profile than non-fluorinated plastics.

Replace scratched or degraded nonstick pans rather than continuing to use them. Cast iron, carbon steel, stainless steel, and ceramic-coated pans without PTFE are the alternatives that don't shed fluorinated microplastics.