topic Re: Black Cooking Utensils in Kitchen

Black Cooking Utensils

grandma2pkmh — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 22:29:39 GMT

With the reports coming out that black cooking utensils probably have toxic materials in them, has anyone replaced theirs. i bought new ones today from Amazon. My problem is I have a few that are really old and not made anymore but I love and use almost daily. Do I just take a chance and keep them? Heck at my age (77) does it really matter.

Re: Black Cooking Utensils

patbz — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 22:46:04 GMT

I think you are talking about non stick. I'm 80 and I wouldn't worry too much.

Re: Black Cooking Utensils

KailaS — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 22:54:40 GMT

I am your age. At this point, keep them-- especially if you like them.

Re: Black Cooking Utensils

Sooner — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 22:56:24 GMT

I threw them out 2 days ago--some from an All-Clad set and a couple unknowns. I just don't see a point in worrying about them so out they go.

Re: Black Cooking Utensils

lcubedsudbury — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 22:59:03 GMT

One more thing to worry about.

Re: Black Cooking Utensils

shoesnbags — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 22:59:06 GMT

@patbz wrote:
I think you are talking about non stick. I'm 80 and I wouldn't worry too much.

@patbz

No, this has nothing to do with non stick surfaces (Teflon, etc.) This is the black plastic spoons, pancake turners, etc. that are sold everywhere to use in all non stick pans, including the newer supposedly non toxic surfaces. The plastic that the black utensils are made of includes recycled plastic that is toxic when exposed to heat. Silicone utensils are safe.

@grandma2pkmh

I tossed the 3 pieces I had - a pancake turner, a ladle and a ground meat chopper. I've ordered 2 replacements made of silicone from Amazon and will probably replace the 3rd eventually.

Re: Black Cooking Utensils

shoesnbags — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 23:02:04 GMT

@KailaS wrote:
I am your age. At this point, keep them-- especially if you like them.

@KailaS @patbz I'm old, too, and I understand what you're saying. I feel this way about a lot of things, too. Like, I've lived 75 years so what difference does it make? But this was an easy thing to replace, so I did.

Re: Black Cooking Utensils

PinkyPetunia — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 23:31:03 GMT

This is the first time I'm hearing about black plastic utensils. I have only one, a favorite spoon for stirring chili and pasta sauce. Will keep an eye open to replace it.

Re: Black Cooking Utensils

shoesnbags — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 23:56:02 GMT

This is from Taste of Home, but if you google there are many, many recent articles about this.

Simply put, yes, black plastic cooking utensils are dangerous.

Manufacturers add brominated flame retardants to many home electronics like TVs and computers to reduce the risk of overheated devices exploding or catching fire. Many of these substances have proven to be highly toxic and have been officially phased out. Unfortunately, devices containing the banned flame retardants can linger in our homes for years, and when they get recycled, the toxic plastic can be mixed with food-grade plastic to create things like takeout trays, cooking utensils and children’s toys.

Because black plastic is sourced from electronic scrap, it’s the most likely to contain toxic flame retardants.

Re: Black Cooking Utensils

PA Mom-mom — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 00:44:35 GMT

@grandma2pkmh I agree with the others who say we're probably too old to worry about those additives. Something else is sure to get us first. Hahaha!

Re: Black Cooking Utensils

Tinkrbl44 — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 01:39:48 GMT

Good grief. This is the first I'm hearing about this.

Over my lifetime I've finally accumulated a collection of utensils that passed my trial and error experiences. I love my stuff.

But, thanks and I will keep an eye on this story.

The worst that could happen is I have to buy some new utensils.

Re: Black Cooking Utensils

skatting44 — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 03:13:52 GMT

Also you can worry abt all the plastics we are all consuming through food & water - esp all those disposable water bottles

Re: Black Cooking Utensils

Carmie — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 04:19:14 GMT

Everything made with plastic is toxic. It's I just about in every product we buy..our food, our clothing, our home textiles.

I don't think we can fix this issue. It's in our waterways, fish and all animals we consume.

It's now in the human body as well....even in our brains.

It's bad stuff that will be on our planet for hundreds of thousands of years.

I think it is too late to worry about black colored cooking utensils.

Re: Black Cooking Utensils

CalminHeart — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 12:34:17 GMT

I'll use the utensils I have. I'm not going to worry about black utensils.

Re: Black Cooking Utensils

faeriemoon — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 14:58:08 GMT

So black silicone is not included in this group of harmful utensils?

Re: Black Cooking Utensils

shoesnbags — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 15:11:09 GMT

@faeriemoon wrote:
So black silicone is not included in this group of harmful utensils?

@faeriemoon

Correct. Silicone is a whole different material. It's the black plastic that contains the toxic stuff. (Now who knows what they'll tell us about silicone a few years down the road - ha.)

Re: Black Cooking Utensils

wagirl — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 15:38:19 GMT

I have a few black ones --they are a few years old, but think I will toss them too. Just looked at AMZ and there are pages of very good deals for silicone utencils--just ordered some and a few extras--going to trash my old ones.

Re: Black Cooking Utensils

faeriemoon — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 15:11:55 GMT

Thanks, @shoesnbags !

Re: Black Cooking Utensils

JeanLouiseFinch — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 15:20:51 GMT

@grandma2pkmh wrote:
With the reports coming out that black cooking utensils probably have toxic materials in them, has anyone replaced theirs. i bought new ones today from Amazon. My problem is I have a few that are really old and not made anymore but I love and use almost daily. Do I just take a chance and keep them? Heck at my age (77) does it really matter.

It's important to clarify that it's PLASTIC that's potentially unsafe. SILICONE is perfectly safe regardless of the color.

Re: Black Cooking Utensils

Tinkrbl44 — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 18:09:17 GMT

@JeanLouiseFinch wrote:
@grandma2pkmh wrote:
With the reports coming out that black cooking utensils probably have toxic materials in them, has anyone replaced theirs. i bought new ones today from Amazon. My problem is I have a few that are really old and not made anymore but I love and use almost daily. Do I just take a chance and keep them? Heck at my age (77) does it really matter.
It's important to clarify that it's PLASTIC that's potentially unsafe. SILICONE is perfectly safe regardless of the color.

@JeanLouiseFinch @grandma2pkmh

So .... just to be clear ..... this is about black PLASTIC utensils, NOT the utensils with a non-stick coating ... right?