Recently, people have become increasingly picky about the type of cookware utensils they use to prepare their meals. Healthy eating requires taking a variety of factors into account, and the kind of cookware utensils is one of them. Silicone cooking utensils are becoming increasingly popular and for a good reason. Silicone utensils, such as spatulas, spoons, brushes, ladles, tongs, and much more, have been favored over plastic, wood, stainless steel, and aluminum utensils due to their flexibility and durability.Is silicone safe to cook with？
So, whether you are a beginner cook or a seasoned pro, silicone cooking utensils are a great way to improve your cooking experience, and here are few reasons why you should consider them:
1. Silicone Utensils are Safe
Silicone is a non-toxic material that is safe for use in food preparation. It does not leach chemicals into food, even at high temperatures. This means you can be confident that your food is safe when cooked with silicone utensils.
Silicone is often used in medical devices and food packaging, which speaks to its safety. It is also heat-resistant and can withstand high temperatures without melting or releasing harmful chemicals.
2. Silicone Kitchenware is Versatile
Silicone cooking tools can be used for a range of cooking tasks, including stirring soups and sauces and flipping pancakes and hamburgers. They are also suitable for use in the oven, on the stove, and in the microwave. This makes them an adaptable choice for any kitchen.
Silicone utensils are also available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, so you can find the perfect one for the task at hand. For example, there are silicone spatulas for stirring, silicone tongs for flipping, and silicone whisks for beating.
3. Silicone Utensils are Long-Lasting
Silicone cooking utensils are extremely durable, able to resist high temperatures and continuous use. They also withstand scratches and dings. This implies that your silicone utensils will survive for years.
In fact, silicone utensils are often used in professional kitchens, where they are subjected to heavy use on a daily basis. They can withstand the heat of the stovetop and the oven, as well as the wear and tear of being tossed around in a busy kitchen.
4. Silicone utensils do not stick.
Silicone cooking utensils are incredibly durable, withstanding high temperatures and extended use. They can also endure scrapes and dings. This means that your silicone utensils will last for years.
When you cook with oil or butter, the heat can cause these fats to break down and form harmful compounds. These compounds can then be absorbed into your food, increasing your risk of heart disease, cancer, and other health problems.
Silicone utensils help you cook healthier meals by reducing the need for oil or butter, and this is because the silicone coating prevents food from sticking to the pan so that you can cook with less fat.
5. Silicone Utensils are a Budget-Friendly Option
Silicone cooking utensils are often less expensive than traditional metal or wooden equipment. This makes them an economical choice for your kitchen. Silicone utensils are made from a relatively inexpensive material, so they are often less expensive than metal or wooden ones. Additionally, you can buy silicone utensils in sets, saving you even more money.
The benefits of switching to silicone cooking utensils are abundantly clear. Not only are they nonstick, they are also heat-resistant and don’t absorb bacteria, making the task of cooking and cleaning up much easier. The bottom line is that switching to silicone cooking utensils can provide a more enjoyable cooking and cleanup experience, so why wait? Switch to silicone cooking utensils today and start experiencing all the benefits they offer.
How to Use Silicone Kitchen Items
Dishwashing: Silicone is generally dishwasher safe, however, if you start to see white spots appear on your silicone, it should probably just be hand washed. I generally hand wash my silicone storage bags, which are a less dense silicone. Utensils that are silicone are more dense and wash very well in the dishwasher.
Heating: Most silicone can be heated to 600 degrees Fahrenheit, I think I would avoid getting silicone warmer than 250 degrees. In fact, if you can prevent heating silicone at all, I think that’s the safest plan here.
Wash before Use: In the studies I shared, one of the factors that was present when toxins were released into food and beverages was that the silicone had not been washed. Make sure to wash your silicone products thoroughly BEFORE use of any kind.
Time to Replace: If your silicone items are getting scratches or white spots, it’s probably time to start thinking about replacing them. Generally, if you hand wash them and follow the instructions that came with your product, they hold up really well for a kitchen item.
Short Storage Times: Because studies showed that toxins didn’t start releasing into certain items until after 72 hours, I think it’s safe to say that short term storage of food and beverages in silicone is the best scenario.
Advantages of silicone in the kitchen.
Silicone has many excellent characteristics that make it the best replacement for Teflon and plastic and wooden cookware. Benefits of silicone include:
- Non-sticky. There is no need to spray, grease, or oil pans. You can bake muffins without using paper liners, but much of the ingredients will stick to the paper. There is very little sticking, making it simple to clean. Washing is no longer painful.
- High and low-temperature resistance. Silicone can withstand temperatures from -40℃~260℃, it can go directly from the freezer to the oven, or from oven to microwave. Silicone is very heat resistant so we can place even the hottest of pans onto silicone trivets or pot mats, they won’t melt or distort over time.
- Soft and flexible. Removal from pans is simple: twist or gently pull on the sides to roll out your baking or ice tray.
- No Scratches. Spatulas and spoons with soft silicone heads will protect your cookware from any scratches.
- Cool and colorful with various shapes, making your cooking time more joyful.
- Neutral, low chemical reactivity. It won’t react with food or beverages or produce any hazardous fumes.
- Stain and microbial resistance. It will not retain scents or colors after usage. It does not absorb any flavors from the food into the substance.
- Freezer, refrigerator, microwave and oven safe, dishwasher safe.
- Environmental friendly.
- Durable and foldable, easily stored and space-saving.
Disadvantages of silicone utensils and cookware
They are flexible, making it difficult to move the baking pan, particularly when using liquid or semi-liquid food. To transfer silicone bake pans into and out of the oven, set them on a metal sheet.
Sensitive to sharp tools or point objects, so stay your silicone utensils and bakeware away from knives, and broken ceramic dishes. Don’t use metal brushes to clean your silicone utensils.
Conclusion
Silicone is safe to be cooked with food. The areas of doubts are the application of heat on silicone. Even more, storage of food in silicone food storage ware for long period of time.
Food-grade silicone can withstand hot temperature up to 500 degrees celsius before losing its stability and become toxic. The result from the migration test showed for 6hrs of food storage with silicone, no toxic chemical was detected to be present till 72 hours.
Based on this silicone is safe for food which requires less than 500 degrees celsius to be cooked. Storage of food should not exceed 6 hours.
Moreover, if you’re in doubt you can consult the manufacturer’s of the silicone products. They should be able to tell if the silicone is safe for use. Consulting expert is also a great choice. The way an expert will interprete the chemicals used for producing your silicone cookware will be different from your interpretation. It’s best to consult a specialist working for food controlling agency.