Doctor explains how air fryers can be dangerous for your health

A GP has taken to TikTok to reveal a dangerous quality of air fryers that you need to be aware of.

Air fryers are a certified kitchen staple at this point, progressing way beyond fad status to become part of countless daily routines.

They’re cheaper to run, faster, and less oil-dependent than conventional ovens and frying pans, saving money, time, and complex fats.

While they aren’t a new invention, they’ve really hit their stride in recent years.

Potatoes cooked in an air fryer - SGAPhoto via Getty Images

With that popularity comes safety fears, especially in this era of hyper-awareness around what non-stick coatings might be doing to our bodies.

It’s these coatings that we should be concerned about with air fryers, according to Dr Karan Rajan on TikTok.

The UK-based GP says we ought to be careful with how we clean our air fryers’ trays so that we minimise the chances of the coatings coming off and onto our food.

Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are the chemicals at the root of the matter, and they’re found in non-stick coatings, food packaging, toiletries, and carpets.

The American Cancer Society says that PFAS are potentially a significant health concern “because they don’t break down easily and can stay in the environment and in the human body for a long time'.

"There are many PFAS, but the ones that have been made and used the most in the United States are PFOA and PFOS.

"While these two chemicals are no longer made in the US, people can still be exposed to them."

In that post, the American Cancer Society explains that lab animals exposed to PFOA had been shown to have an increased risk of developing liver, testicle, breast and pancreas tumours.

"Other studies have suggested possible links to other cancers, including prostate, bladder, breast, and ovarian cancer. But not all studies have found such links, and more research is needed to clarify these findings," it added.

While this type of chemical may be present in your air fryer’s lining, Dr Karan explained that it’s only an issue if the air fryer takes some damage.

"As long as you don't plan on eating the lining of your air fryer you will be fine," he said in his video.

"And if you're really worried about the non-stick coating you can use a ceramic or stainless steel air fryer."

In other words: don’t scratch your air fryer’s non-stick coating. Once a bit of it has been damaged, the area around the scratch may continue to peel and chip away over time.

Woman puts chopped vegetables in an air fryer - Pavlina Popovska via Getty Images

As Dr Karan says, you can opt for stainless steel cookware if you’re worried about non-stick coatings.

The trick with stainless steel pans is to make sure they’re very hot before you start cooking.

You can check them by using a phenomenon called the Leidenfrost effect to your advantage.

Simply pour a little water into the pan. Rather than immediately fizz and evaporate, the water should form into droplets that skate effortlessly around the pan when you give it a shake.

If the droplets are forming and skating, your stainless steel pan is hot enough to be non-stick.