PFOA
Perfluorooctanoic Acid · C8 · Perfluorooctanoate
What it is
A small-molecule per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS), CAS 335-67-1. Not part of the finished PTFE polymer, used historically as a processing aid (polymerization surfactant) in PTFE manufacturing. Residual traces remained in nonstick coatings manufactured before ~2015.
In this product: Historical processing aid during PTFE manufacture, not an intentional ingredient in finished cookware. Legacy residue in pans manufactured before the 2015 phaseout.
Dose & route, what actually matters
Migration from scratched or worn cookware into food (confirmed in peer-reviewed literature). PFOA is also a systemic body-burden compound, virtually all humans have measurable PFOA in blood serum from prior exposure routes (cookware, food packaging, drinking water). New cookware exposure is via pan-to-food migration, especially from scratched or overheated pre-2015 pans.
EUROPEAN UNION
PFOA individually banned under EU REACH Annex XVII Restriction and EU Persistent Organic Pollutant (POP) Regulation. Restricted to <25 ppb residue in articles and mixtures since 2020 under Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/1021.
UNITED STATES
EPA PFOA Stewardship Program (2010/2015): eight major companies voluntarily eliminated PFOA from production by 2015. EPA 2024 Final Rule sets Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for PFOA in drinking water at 4 ppt with an MCL goal of zero. EPA 2024 designated PFOA as a CERCLA hazardous substance. No FDA ban on PFOA specifically in cookware.
The evidence
IARC Monographs Volume 135 (December 2023): PFOA classified Group 1, carcinogenic to humans, based on sufficient evidence in experimental animals and strong mechanistic evidence in humans. Previous classification was Group 2B.
regulatory · 2023 · source
EPA April 2024 Final Rule: MCL for PFOA set at 4 ppt in drinking water with MCL goal of zero, citing ‘PFOA and PFOS have no level below which is safe for drinking.’ PFOA also designated as a CERCLA hazardous substance (May 2024).
regulatory · 2024 · source
California Prop 65: PFOA listed on California Prop 65 as both a carcinogen and a reproductive toxicant.
How to avoid it
Retire any nonstick pan that predates 2015, that is the era when PFOA was used in US production. All major brands (T-fal, Tefal, Calphalon, All-Clad) completed PFOA elimination by the 2015 stewardship deadline. Replace with cast iron, stainless steel, or ceramic-coated cookware.
Where it hides
Editorial analysis of publicly available regulatory and peer-reviewed sources. Not medical advice. We name our evidence and link it, including when an ingredient is fine.