Silicone cooking mats are often appealing because of their bright colors and non-stick qualities. However, some people hesitate to use this kind of cookware because of dangers associated with silicone breast implants in women. As of 2011, silicone mats are considered safe to use in the kitchen under certain circumstances. However, you should use caution so you don't burn yourself and so you minimize your risk from carcinogens. Does this Spark an idea?
Silicone Peeling
Silicone may peel off the mat after prolonged use and stick to the oven rack or walls. This can expose other foods you cook in the oven to silicone. To reduce this risk, always use non-stick sprays or grease silicone mats before use if a recipe calls for it. In addition, you should put metal bakeware under silicone mats rather than putting mats directly into the oven.
Food Safety
As of 2011, there is no evidence that silicone mats leak silicone or chemicals into food. However, you should use only high-quality silicone mats to minimize your risk as much as possible. When looking at silicone mats in the store, pinch and twist the mats. If any powder leaks comes off the mats as a result of twisting, don't buy the mat.
Warning
The FDA has deemed silicone mats safe for use in the oven as of 2011. However, silicone mats should not be used on the stove because this presents a fire risk. In addition, you shouldn't use silicone mats if your oven is set at an extremely high temperature. For example, don't use silicone mats to cook pizza from scratch, which often requires temperatures in excess of 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
Avoiding Burns
The biggest danger with silicone mats is that you may burn yourself when removing the mats from the oven or removing hot foods from them. Silicone absorbs heat, so be careful when taking the mat out of the oven. Use oven gloves and other protective clothing as you would with any item you take out of the oven, and be careful when taking the food off the mat. If you put a metal pan under your silicone mat before putting it in the oven, always take the metal pan out instead of attempting to just take the mat out.
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