TikTok Myth of the Week: You Need a 'Non-Toxic' Air Fryer

According to legions of TikTokers, I should throw away my air fryer, and you should too.

Its supposedly filling your body with forever chemicals and probably giving you cancer.

These arent realistic fears, though.

Lets break down the truth, and then look at where this TikTok trend is coming from, anyway.

True:PFAS have been linked to cancer.

True:PFAS are called forever chemicals.

…but…

Nonstick coatings on cookware have not been linked to cancer or other health problems.

Forever chemicaldoesntmean it gives you health problems forever (yes, people are claiming this).

The FDAconsidersthe amount of PFAS that can migrate from a nonstick coatings to food negligible.

Food can contain PFAS if it is grown or raised in contaminated areas, or packaged in PFAS-coated materials.

What if Im concerned about PFAS anyway?

I havean explainer hereabout PFAS and how to avoid them, if you’re concerned.

If your local water is contaminated, you may want to geta filter that can remove PFAS.

And to be clearair fryers are not the only kitchen items with a nonstick coating.

All kinds of pans and skillets are sold with PTFE-based nonstick coatings.

When trying to nail down why this myth is so popular, I found myself asking some odd questions.

Why air fryers and not pans?

(Air fryers are electric, you see).

How are TikTokers benefiting from an air fryer scare?

Often it was a range of products, of which non-toxic air fryers were one category.

Yet another TikToker plugged her community, in a video otherwise pretty much content-free.

The community will explain it all, of course.

So, why air fryers?

Get enough people watching, and you’ll find something you could monetize.

Air-fried and regular-fried foods can both contain it, especially if they are overcooked.

So theres nothing special about air fryers when it comes to acrylamide.

(you’ve got the option to readmore about my take on acrylamide here.)

But he was right, and now I use the toaster oven more than the real oven, year-round.

(Its similar tothis model.)

It fitswaymore fried goodies than your typical basket-style air fryer.

It’s worth every square inch of counter space.

If youarein the market for a new air fryer,we have a buying guide here.