Does using a rice cooker for too long cause cancer? If you see this phenomenon, you should replace it immediately

Understanding the characteristics of the rice cooker, you will know how to better maintain it and know when to replace it with a new one.

The introduction of rice cookers has greatly helped in cooking. Undeniably, there are families who use a rice cooker for decades. Looking at the pot yellowed, rusted in some places, the inner pot was peeled, covered with burnt rice, but the adults kept regretting that they would not replace it with a new one. The reason given is “still good, why buy a new one”.

For rice cookers that have been used for so long, some people wonder if it poses any health risks or causes cancer?

Do rice cookers pose a cancer risk?

The reason why the rumor that rice cookers cause cancer appeared is because of the non-stick coating inside the rice cooker. This coating is called teflon, the main component is polytetrafluoroethylene. This substance when reacted with high temperature will produce perfluorooctanoic acid, also known as C8.

In 2017, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified C8 as a group 2B carcinogen.

Not only rice cookers but also non-stick pans are rumored to cause cancer, all due to C8.

When teflon is coated on the inside of the rice cooker, it makes cooking food more convenient. However, when cooked at high heat, the C8 actually evaporated.

But there are actually very few rice cookers these days that make the C8. Relevant investigations have shown that this is a stabilizer, it only produces chemical reactions when the temperature exceeds 260 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, the highest temperature is produced during cooking. daily does not exceed 200 degrees Celsius. Even in the presence of C8, it is not released into the food.

Currently, the technology of producing household appliances has made a great breakthrough, if you buy a genuine and genuine rice cooker, you absolutely do not need to worry about the problem of causing cancer.

Health risks associated with rice cookers

When the non-stick coating in the rice cooker is peeled or scratched, teflon will blend into the food. However, you need not panic, as teflon under normal conditions is not toxic.

But the problem is that if this non-stick coating is scratched, the non-stick performance of the rice cooker will decrease, making it difficult to clean. It is also easy to cause food to burn, which will produce the carcinogen acrylamide.

At the same time, the non-stick coating is scratched, it will expose the aluminum alloy inside the rice cooker. If you continue to cook rice in this condition, the aluminum element may be dissolved.

In particular, in the case if you use a rice cooker to cook spicy and sour soups, fried sweet and sour ribs, aluminum will be more easily dissolved. When humans absorb too much aluminum, it will affect bones and nerves.

Rice cookers should be replaced promptly

Instead of worrying too much about the rumors that the rice cooker causes cancer, you’d better take good care of it. To avoid the risk of affecting the health and life of the rice cooker, you should pay attention to some of the following:

– Do not use metal spoon when stirring rice so as not to scratch the non-stick coating.

– When cleaning, do not use steel wool.

– The rice cooker is used for too long, the bottom of the pot is often burnt, it not only affects the taste of the rice but also is not good for health, it is best to buy a new one.

– Should choose to buy those with reputable brands, good products.