Do Air Fryers Expose You to Lead? (Safety Precautions!)
Do air fryers expose you to lead?
No. Your air fryer most likely won’t contain lead and thus cannot cause exposure to it. As modern day kitchen appliances continue to evolve, the use of lead to manufacture units has been strongly restricted through regulation. It would be hard to find any air fryer, both on the high-end and low-end models, made with lead. Most air fryers are made with a combination of heat-resistant polycarbonate, a protective non-stick coating, and stainless steel.
Are old air fryers safe?
Yes. Air fryers are not known for being made with lead. However, they are made of other materials that can naturally degrade over time. The stainless steel that it is partially made of can rust as time goes on. It can cause rust, especially if it is not cleaned properly. The plastics that it is made out of may also deteriorate after several years of extreme heat. It can release compounds into the air and then into your food. But this is not uncommon with any kitchen appliance. These machines unavoidably use lots of heat to cook your food.
If you have been using an air fryer for more than a decade, we strongly recommend that you replace it with a new one to avoid all of these potential dangers. If you are interested in learning more about how to keep and maintain your air fryer for a long time, then check out our article for detailed tips and tricks on how to clean, maintain, and prevent your air fryer from getting rusty.
Air fryer baskets that are made of non-stick material
The chemicals that have been found in the non-stick material of air fryer baskets are known to be harmful when heated up. Even though they are considered safe to heat at the maximum temperatures of your air fryer unit, with due time and age, the material used will become brittle and weak. These chemicals include perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Unfortunately, these chemicals can leach into your food, exposing you to them.
In order to identify when your air fryer basket may become a danger to you, look at the inside of the basket with a flashlight. The surface of the basket should be smooth and reflective. If you happen to see cracks, a dull complexion, or even peeling happening within the basket, it might be time to look into replacing the basket. There are so many factors that will allow you to buy a replacement basket for your air fryer. Reach out to their company or check out their website.
Always use one that has a stainless steel basket.
Make sure to use an air fryer with a stainless steel basket as it will be easier to clean and won’t release any harmful toxins into the food. Stainless steel is a very hard metal, but at the same time, it’s also non-stick.
Stainless steel is basically resistant to stains and corrosion. It has a surface that inhibits the growth of bacteria as well. It is an incredibly durable substance. It can withstand an extremely high amount of heat, up to 870 degrees Celsius. That is almost 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit. It is considered one of the top material choices for anyone who is looking to buy a kitchen appliance.
Which air fryers are lined with lead?
While it’s difficult to tell if any air fryers actually have lead lining them, it’s important to understand that companies in the US are required to build and distribute products that are safe for the general public. One way to avoid winding up with an air fryer that is unsafe is to purchase one from a company that is not well known. We recommend that you always look for air fryers that have a well-known brand name. Companies like Ninja Foodi, Oscar, Breville, Cosori, Nuwave, and Instant Vortex are just to name a few.
Most air fryer brands list “stainless steel” in their product descriptions, but do not specify which part of the appliance is made from stainless steel. You may need to do some investigating to find out which parts of these air fryers are made from stainless steel. Some air fryers that are labeled as “made with stainless steel” may have a basket that is lined with lead. At least this is how it was with older models of microwaves and slow cookers. These kitchen appliances where once covered with lead paint.
Why were past kitchen appliances made with lead?
It wasn’t actually lead that was used to manufacture old kitchen appliances. Lead was actually infused into the paint that was used to cover these kitchen appliances. They found that led helped paint maintain its durability and color. It was able to last longer if you had your paint in combination with lead. Sometime around 1978, the federal government notice that Ned was a health threat to the people and they begin to band lead paint that was used in homes. This also followed a long suit with toys and then kitchen appliances as well.
What happens when you are exposed to lead?
Lead can cause serious health concerns when it comes into contact with food. The good news is that air fryers are designed with your health in mind and do not contain lead.
People who are exposed to high levels of lead may show signs and symptoms of anemia, weakness, kidney damage, and even brain damage. If the exposure last for a very long time it can also lead to death. Women who are pregnant need to take Extra Care in avoiding exposure to lead at all cost because lead can cross over the placenta barrier and harm the unborn child.
Lead can quickly lead to poisoning in less than 1 to 6 months if you are continually exposed to it. There’s really no way of reversing any damage that has been done by lead poisoning.
Lead poisoning is usually confirmed with simple blood test. The only treatment that is known to remove lead from the body is called Chelation therapy. However, it’s only so effective. The best recommendation to follow is to just remove yourself from the source of lead exposure.
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