PTFE: The Non-Stick Coating
Material That Wins
Our Customers Over
Discover the technology behind T-fal's trusted non-stick performance. Designed to make everyday cooking easier, with the quality and innovation you expect.
What is PTFE?
Polytetrafluoroethylene, commonly known as PTFE, is a polymer compound discovered in 1938 by the scientist Roy J. Plunkett (1910–1994). Studies conducted by public health authorities in Europe and the United States have demonstrated the safety of PTFE for food contact. It is a substance that poses no danger, even if accidentally ingested.
T-fal Pans Are Not Made
With TEFLON™
Historically, T-fal used TEFLON™-branded coatings for its non-stick pans. However, when Groupe SEB acquired T-fal in 1968, it chose to internalize the production of its own non-stick coatings to better control and manage all stages of production.
What are the Characteristics of PTFE?
The Most
Non-Stick Material
Our non-stick coating is designed to enable cooking with reduced or no added fat, making it suitable for a variety of recipes.
Tested and Approved
Studies conducted by public health authorities in Europe and the United States have recognized PTFE as a coating material suitable for contact with food, and studies have confirmed that PTFE is not absorbed into the body if accidentally ingested.
Durable
Whether in cold or hot conditions, PTFE remains stable, even at the high temperatures typically reached during cooking.
The PFAS Family
Per or Polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, refer to a large family of substances (about 10,000).
Non-Polymer
These can be problematic because they are bioaccumulative, meaning they can build up in the human body (e.g., PFOA or PFOS). This is not the case with the PTFE polymer.
Polymer
Like PTFE, they are non-bioaccumulative, inert, and considered non-hazardous to human health.
PTFE: A Safe Material
PTFE has been recognized by health authorities such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) as a material that poses no risk to human health and is safe for food contact. Beyond its exceptional non-stick properties, it is due to this demonstrated safety that T-fal has chosen PTFE coatings for its pans and pots.
Everything You Need to Know
PTFE / PFOA / PFAS and Other Substances
What is PTFE?
PTFE, or polytetrafluoroethylene, is a fluoropolymer.
Used in non-stick coatings, it consists of a chain of up to thousands of carbon atoms, each bonded to two fluorine atoms (except the terminal carbon atoms at each end). This structure gives PTFE exceptional chemical stability, making it harmless to human health.
It also provides exceptional resistance to high temperatures and a high level of slipperiness, making it ideal for non-stick coatings in pots and pans.
The World Health Organization (WHO), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and health authorities in France, Europe (EFSA), and the United States (FDA) have all confirmed that PTFE is harmless to human health. T-fal's non-stick coatings are approved for contact with food.
Where is this PTFE produced?
PTFE is the base materials used in formulating non-stick coatings.
It is produced by leading international chemical companies, selected under T-fal's responsible purchasing policy (based on ethical, social, and environmental criteria) and according to strict specifications. These companies are regularly audited.
What reference studies do health authorities use to demonstrate that PTFE coatings pose no risk to human health?
Public health authorities in Europe and the United States have demonstrated that PTFE is an inert substance with no effect on the human body when ingested. These same authorities have confirmed that PTFE coatings pose no health risk when used in cookware.
Following a study by the IARC, the WHO classified PTFE in Group 3 [Volume 19, 288 (1979) and Supplement 7.70 (1987)], recognizing that it is not carcinogenic to humans.
PTFE is so harmless that it is frequently used in the medical field (e.g., pacemakers, artificial arteries, prosthetics).
What does the term PFAS refer to?
PFAS (perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances) refers to a large family of substances with a wide range of chemical properties.
Much of the available information, especially on the internet, creates confusion by failing to clearly distinguish between PFAS known to be harmful, such as PFOA, and other chemical compounds considered part of the same family but without impact on health or the environment, such as fluoropolymers (PTFE).
Do your pans contain PFAS?
T-fal products do not contain PFAS that are considered harmful to health or the environment by health authorities.
Several T-fal product lines are made with a PTFE-based non-stick coating, a safe component approved by authorities such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and European authorities for use in non-stick cookware.
How do you ensure the absence of PFAS in your products?
Our products are regularly tested by independent laboratories to verify the absence of PFAS considered problematic in the finished products and to ensure the complete safety of T-fal-manufactured products.
We ensure that no PFAS are detected using the best available techniques on the market today, with our analysis going beyond regulatory requirements.
What is PFOA?
PFOA is a short-chain PFAS. It is persistent in the environment and accumulates in living organisms, where it can have harmful health effects.
T-fal's and its suppliers have not used PFOA in their processes since 2012, well before the introduction of regulations. Independent laboratories regularly test our cookware, consistently confirming the absence of PFOA in T-fal products.
Is PFOA used in T-fal cookware made with PTFE?
NO. T-fal and its suppliers have not used PFOA in their processes since 2012, well before the introduction of regulations. Independent laboratories regularly test our cookware, consistently confirming the absence of PFOA in T-fal products.
Is PFOS used in T-fal cooking products made with PTFE?
NO. T-fal has never used PFOS in the manufacture of its products. Our products do not contain PFOS.
Consumer Safety
What is the risk of using a scratched non-stick pan? Or ingesting pieces of the coating?
French, European, and U.S. health authorities have all confirmed that PTFE is harmless to health and recognized it as an inert substance with no effect on the body when ingested.
Accidental ingestion of any part of the coating is safe. The human body does not absorb the particles, which remain harmless.
As studies conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have shown, ingested PTFE particles pass through the body like any other fibre, moving through the digestive system without being absorbed. Due to its high chemical resistance, PTFE has no effect on the body when ingested.
However, scratches may reduce the non-stick qualities of the cookware, so we recommend following the brand's usage instructions and replacing it if the coating is damaged.
Regulatory Questions
What is T-fal's position in the face of potential regulatory changes in the United States and Europe in the coming years?
T-fal always places the well-being of its customers at the heart of its concerns. Accordingly, we consistently act to stay ahead of national and international regulations.
We assure you that we closely monitor updates from all qualified authorities regarding the compliance of our products and claims, and we always act accordingly. Our teams are currently closely following developments following the publication of the draft report on PFAS restrictions, as released by ECHA.
T-fal disagrees with the attempt by some politicians countries to ban the use of all PFAS without allowing safe, affordable and durable types of PFAS distinction. Indeed, the term PFAS covers a wide family of substances with very different and useful chemical properties. Consequently, T-fal is seeking to have recognized the uniqueness of PTFE which it uses for its non-stick coatings while properly prevent emissions harmful PFAS.
Employee Safety in Our Factories
What risk prevention policy do you have in place at your sites?
We are committed at every stage of our manufacturing processes to adhering to prevention principles:
Selecting the most suitable raw materials from a health, safety, and environmental perspective.
Capturing emissions and protecting employees at the source. For example, our PTFE spraying lines are all equipped with source extraction at every emission stage of the process. Systems are in place to continuously monitor the proper functioning of these measures.
Everything You Need to Know
PTFE / PFOA / PFAS and Other Substances
PTFE, or polytetrafluoroethylene, is a fluoropolymer.
Used in non-stick coatings, it consists of a chain of up to thousands of carbon atoms, each bonded to two fluorine atoms (except the terminal carbon atoms at each end). This structure gives PTFE exceptional chemical stability, making it harmless to human health.
It also provides exceptional resistance to high temperatures and a high level of slipperiness, making it ideal for non-stick coatings in pots and pans.
The World Health Organization (WHO), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and health authorities in France, Europe (EFSA), and the United States (FDA) have all confirmed that PTFE is harmless to human health. T-fal's non-stick coatings are approved for contact with food.
PTFE is the base material used in formulating non-stick coatings.
It is produced by leading international chemical companies, selected under T-fal's responsible purchasing policy (based on ethical, social, and environmental criteria) and according to strict specifications. These companies are regularly audited.
Public health authorities in Europe and the United States have demonstrated that PTFE is an inert substance with no effect on the human body when ingested. These same authorities have confirmed that PTFE coatings pose no health risk when used in cookware.
Following a study by the IARC, the WHO classified PTFE in Group 3 (Volume 19, 288 [1979] and Supplement 7.70 [1987]), recognizing that it is not carcinogenic to humans.
PTFE is so harmless that it is frequently used in the medical field (e.g., pacemakers, artificial arteries, prosthetics).
PFAS (perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances) refers to a large family of substances with a wide range of chemical properties.
Much of the available information, especially on the internet, creates confusion by failing to clearly distinguish between PFAS known to be harmful, such as PFOA, and other chemical compounds considered part of the same family but without impact on health or the environment, such as fluoropolymers (PTFE).
T-fal products do not contain PFAS that are considered harmful to health or the environment by health authorities.
Several T-fal product lines are made with a PTFE-based non-stick coating, a safe component approved by authorities such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and European authorities for use in non-stick cookware.
Our products are regularly tested by independent laboratories to verify the absence of PFAS considered problematic in the finished products and to ensure the complete safety of T-fal-manufactured products.
We ensure that no PFAS are detected using the best available techniques on the market today, with our analysis going beyond regulatory requirements.
PFOA is a short-chain PFAS. It is persistent in the environment and accumulates in living organisms, where it can have harmful health effects.
T-fal and its suppliers have not used PFOA in their processes since 2012, well before the introduction of regulations. Independent laboratories regularly test our cookware, consistently confirming the absence of PFOA in T-fal products.
NO. T-fal and its suppliers have not used PFOA in their processes since 2012, well before the introduction of regulations. Independent laboratories regularly test our cookware, consistently confirming the absence of PFOA in T-fal products.
NO. T-fal has never used PFOS in the manufacture of its products. Our products do not contain PFOS.
Consumer Safety
French, European, and U.S. health authorities have all confirmed that PTFE is harmless to health and recognized it as an inert substance with no effect on the body when ingested.
Accidental ingestion of any part of the coating is safe. The human body does not absorb the particles, which remain harmless.
As studies conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have shown, ingested PTFE particles pass through the body like any other fibre, moving through the digestive system without being absorbed. Due to its high chemical resistance, PTFE has no effect on the body when ingested.
However, scratches may reduce the non-stick qualities of the cookware, so we recommend following the brand's usage instructions and replacing it if the coating is damaged.
Regulatory Questions
T-fal always places the well-being of its customers at the heart of its concerns. Accordingly, we consistently act to stay ahead of national and international regulations.
We assure you that we closely monitor updates from all qualified authorities regarding the compliance of our products and claims, and we always act accordingly. Our teams are currently closely following developments following the publication of the draft report on PFAS restrictions, as released by ECHA.
T-fal disagrees with the attempt by some politicians in certain countries to ban the use of all PFAS without allowing for a distinction between safe, affordable, and durable types of PFAS. Indeed, the term PFAS covers a wide family of substances with very different and useful chemical properties. Consequently, T-fal is seeking to have the uniqueness of PTFE recognized, which it uses for its non-stick coatings while properly preventing harmful PFAS emissions.
Employee Safety in Our Factories
We are committed at every stage of our manufacturing processes to adhering to prevention principles:
Selecting the most suitable raw materials from a health, safety, and environmental perspective.
Capturing emissions and protecting employees at the source. For example, our PTFE spraying lines are all equipped with source extraction at every emission stage of the process. Systems are in place to continuously monitor the proper functioning of these measures.