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Brinkman Smoke N Pit Professional and Grill King Smoker Reviewed
Brinkman grills have always been popular among grillers during the summer. We are going to take a look at two smoker grills, which are popular not only in the summer, but you can smoke meats as well during the winter.
The Brinkman Smoke N Pit...
Cheese Serving Guide
Cheeses come in a wide variety of flavors, textures, and types. Gone are the days of un-wrapping a slice of American cheese placing it on white bread and calling it a meal. Today's specialty markets make it easy to serve gourmet cheeses as an...
How to Begin Wine Collecting
Some people collect wine for money...and some people collect wine because they have a passion for wine. Irregardless of whether you're collecting wine for profit or for pleasure, collecting wine requires some investment. Enjoying wine is a...
Squid And Calamari
Like meat, fish and poultry, squid and octopus provide high-quality proteins with sufficient amounts of all the essential amino acids. Both have less saturated fat than meat and small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, a group that includes the...
When to wash your fruit
Washing your fruit is recommended for many reasons. Dirt or bugs may be on the outside or in commercially produced fruit pesticide residue may be present. There are times when you should wait until immediately before you serve the fruit to wash. ...
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Is Your Cookware Poisoning You?
For over 40 years scientists have known that the fumes from hot non-stick surfaces can kill birds such as canaries. So just how dangerous are they to humans?
Several studies have been conducted into health concerns surrounding Teflon, the coating invented and patented by DuPont. The results have been disturbing, if somewhat inconclusive.
While the lethal effect on birds is well documented and not in dispute, much of the other evidence tends to be anecdotal at best. And some of it is downright confusing.
For example, the chemical perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is usually cited as the villain of the piece and the root cause of the illnesses that have allegedly appeared in some users. However DuPont claims Teflon doesn't contain this chemical, although it is used in the manufacturing process.
Whatever the truth of that may be, it’s certainly accurate to say that there have been a number of health issues emerging in the community immediately adjacent to the DuPont factory in Parkersburg, West Virginia; more about that later.
There also seems to be some disagreement among authorities as to the temperatures at which the bird-lethal fumes are given off. These are quoted as ranging from 285°F to 475° and more.
Since both these figures are well within the smoke points of edible oils such as avocado and safflower, keeping your budgie in or near the kitchen is definitely not good for his health.
But what about your health?
Human victims have complained of flu-like symptoms, some leading to respiratory complications, after using non-stick cookware. Some reactions have been reported as "severe"".
At least one report suggests that the fumes may be cancer inducing after prolonged
exposure, although none suggest that Teflon itself is harmful if swallowed.
If the fumes are harmful to humans, then there is much more to consider than just kitchen items. Some brands of light bulb, portable heaters and even Gore Tex clothing are all produced using PFOA, the same reactive agent used in the case of Teflon.
Not surprisingly, DuPont denies there is any problem; but this hasn't prevented the company from paying out millions of dollars in compensation, not only to their employees but to 50,000 people living in the vicinity of the Parkersburg factory. You have to ask yourself "why?".
Complaints have included accusations of water pollution, high infant mortality rates and a greater than normal incidence of cancer among the local population. DuPont has never admitted liability in any of these cases.
While the jury still seems to be out on the safety or otherwise of Teflon in the home, even DuPont's own experts advise caution when using non-stick items, particularly with regard to high cooking temperatures.
And this is something you can rely on: when Teflon and similar coatings are heated to a certain point, fumes are given off. These fumes will kill pet birds that inhale them. It’s therefore reasonable to suppose that other forms of life may also be at risk.
You can get more information on the Teflon debate from this address http://www.ewg.org/reports/toxicteflon/es.php
For a definitive article on the effects of Teflon fumes on birds, visit this site http://www.theaviary.com/teflon.shtml
About the Author
Michael Sheridan is a recognized authority and published author on cooking matters. A former head chef, his website can be found at http://thecoolcook.com
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