Buzzwords Don't Cook Your Dinner: The Truth About Cookware Safety

Cookware marketing has become noisy. Scroll through social media or browse online shops, and you'll encounter alarming headlines about "toxic" pans, "forever chemicals," and warnings that a single scratch could endanger your health. 

It's exhausting. And for many home cooks, it's confusing. 

At Scanpan, we believe you deserve better than fear-based marketing. You deserve facts. So let's cut through the buzzwords and have an honest conversation about cookware safety—one backed by science, not scare tactics. 

Common Cookware Marketing Claims 

Here's what most brands won't tell you: "Non-toxic" isn't a regulated term—it's marketing language. 

There's no official standard defining what makes cookware "non-toxic." Any brand can use this label. Quality SCANPAN nonstick cookware has been safely used in homes and professional kitchens for over 70 years, using ingredients approved by the FDA and EFSA. 

The real question isn't "toxic" or "non-toxic." It's whether you're buying quality products from manufacturers who meet rigorous safety standards. 

The Truth About PTFE in Your Cookware 

Some brands position themselves as "PTFE-free" as if that's inherently better. Let's talk about what PTFE actually is. 

PTFE is the technical name for the nonstick coating used in quality cookware, including Scanpan's. It's been used safely for decades and remains the gold standard in professional kitchens. PTFE is: 

When you use quality PTFE cookware as intended, it's safe. Cookware made without PTFE is a perfectly fine nonstick option if that's what you prefer— but it won't last as long or perform as well over time.  

Understanding "Forever Chemicals" Claims 

PFAS is a large family of thousands of different chemicals. The ones that raised health concerns—PFOA and PFOS—have not been used by anyone in the cookware industry since 2013.  

The specific PFAS chemicals that raised health concerns—PFOA and PFOS—are not the same as PTFE. Here's why they're different: 

PFOA and PFOS are acids. That means they’re water soluble, persistent in the environment, and can bioaccumulate if they get into the body.  

PTFE, on the other hand, is a polymer – a stable, inert compound that does not react with or break down into food. It’s not water soluble, it’s not bioavailable, and it cannot bioaccumulate, so it’s even safe enough to use in medical implantation devices that are designed to stay in the body for decades.  

Though these substances share a basic root chemical structure, their usage and behavior in the environment are wildly different from one another. Think of it like mushrooms: there are thousands of fungi we’d call mushrooms, but only some of them are dangerous to eat. There’s no need to avoid all mushrooms just because some in their category are risky – just don’t eat the bad ones.  

Scanpan Led the Industry 

Scanpan was the first nonstick company in the world to sell nonstick cookware made without using PFOA or PFOS in the manufacturing process—and we did it many years before it was prohibited by law.  

We’re proud to have been ahead of the curve, prioritizing your safety long before regulations required it. 

What Really Matters 

At Scanpan, we've been making cookware in Denmark since 1956. We're committed to: 

Scanpan owners use their cookware for 15, 20, even 25+ years. Metal utensil safe. Dishwasher safe. Lifetime warranty. Made in Denmark. 

Making Informed Choices 

Choose cookware based on scientific facts, manufacturing quality, and long-term performance—not fear. 

When you choose Scanpan, you're choosing cookware engineered with both your health and cooking performance in mind. Because you shouldn't have to choose between performance, safety, and sustainability. 

You deserve all three. And you definitely deserve better than buzzwords. 

Performance You Can Trust. Answers You Deserve.