Actually, DuPont does acknowledge the fact that teflon should not be used around birds.

http://www.teflon.com/NASApp/Teflon/TeflonPageServlet?pageId=/consumer/na/eng/housewares/keyword/teflon_keyword_birds.html

So, has anyone actually used this stuff? I find it very interesting but awfully flimsy. If I have to put it on a cookie sheet to put it in the oven, why not just put it in regular cookware and be done with it?

Yes, they are flimsy; the bread ends up being a strange shape with puffed out sides. The round shapes are just fine and it's nice not to have things stick when extracting them.

It seems to me the comments about this post have gotten off-track from the primary concern expressed by the person who posted this comment. There are myriad web sites that relate the functionality of silicone utensils and bakeware. It seems to me the main point of the post was a question about the SAFETY OF SILICONE when used in cookware.

So far, the only response to this concern (quite brief) about silicone's safety is the DuPont response.

The question will not be answered to my satisfaction until a non-biased [not a proponent, like the chemical company that makes the silicon or the company that makes products from the chemical, or an opponent, such as "alarmist ludites"] comprehensive study is performed to answer the questions: IS SILICONE COOKWARE (UTENSILS, BAKING SHEETS AND PANS, ETC.) SAFE TO USE AND UNDER WHAT SPECIFIC CONDITIONS (E.G., MAXIMUM SAFE TEMPERATURE, MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF TIME AT VARIOUS TEMPERATURES, ETC.)? DOES SILICONE BREAK DOWN OVER TIME CAUSING IT TO BE A CARCINOGEN?

I welcome any specific information about scientifically defensible studies that have anwered the above questions. If I find any, I will post about them here.

Hi All,

My research indicates that it is safe to use around birds. It may melt, but will not off-gas as it is made of silicon and oxygen.

According to Health Canada,

About Health Canada

Health Canada is the Federal department responsible for helping Canadians maintain and improve their health, while respecting individual choices and circumstances.
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/iyh-vsv/prod/cook-cuisinier_e.html

Silicone Cookware
Silicone is a synthetic rubber which contains bonded silicon (a natural element which is very abundant in sand and rock) and oxygen.
Cookware made from food grade silicone has become popular in recent years because it is colorful, nonstick, stain-resistant, hard-wearing, cools quickly, and tolerates extremes of temperature. There are no known health hazards associated with use of silicone cookware.
Silicone rubber does not react with food or beverages, or produce any hazardous fumes.

In the United States Silicone cookeware is considered safe. Per the FDA:

"Silicon Cookware is inert, FDA approved and safe up to 428 degrees F. If heated above its safe range, silicon melts but doesn’t outgas toxic vapors. This is apparently because silicon is a manmade blend of sand and oxygen (versus a synthetic plastic). Brightly colored rubbery Silicon cookware includes baking pans, baking sheets, muffin tins, spatulas, ice cube trays, molds, rolling pins and more. It is the only non-reactive, non-stick material".


Thanks Bill
http://www.birdscomefirst.org

After reading all the entries, I am fairly well convinced of the safety and efficacy of the silicone in this new bake/cookware. However, I am not enthusiastic about the bright colors contained in it, based on the assumption that they stem from artificial/synthetic dyes. I dodn't even fully trust the government approved food colorings, much less dyes that go into non-food items (especially the coal-tar derivated colors).

Should we be concerned about the dyes getting out, or are these silicone compounds so inert that the molecules don't break apart at all, even if the item accidentally melts? I know I am 'reaching' here, but I would be interested in other people's take on this issue.

--Ro (rretzlaff@msn.com)

I do not have specific scientific knowledge about silicone bakeware but I do have an anecdotal story about it.

My sister-in-law has a friend who had 3 parrots. On Thanksgiving she decided to use the silicone mat in her oven. Two of her birds died. The third was saved. The vet stated that it was due to the silicone mat she used.

This alone would make me NOT use the product. Even only one experience like this would be enough for me to consider the product toxic to exotic birds such as parrots.

Kathleen
Manitoba, Cananda

I won't be testing it to see and taking any chances with my parrots. Their lives are far more important than trying a new product that they are using.

I would not hesitate to use it in someone else's home without reptiles, birds or fish.

To each their own, but my birds come before DuPont ever will! My personal opinion and we are all entitled to one! :)

I am so sorry for the loss of those creatures/family members. The woman had to be heartbroken.

Please post if you have any more incidents with the avian community. Poeple have the right to know.

Hello all,
For what it's worth, I bought two different brands of silicone bakeware and both smelled so badly when I used them that they're now in my 'donate to Goodwill' bag. The not only emitted an odor when I was baking but the cinnamon muffin smell stuck to one of the pieces rendering it useless for anything other than cinnamon-ish stuff.
I've heard the Silpat brand mats are great - these were KitchenAid and some other brand I can't recall.
Good luck!
Cathy

I have birds (who live in my kitchen) and have been using silicone baking sheets for years. The birds are quite fine - they have not been affected at all by the use of silicone bakeware. I have to agree with Debra... something is not right with that story. (I also agree with the flimsiness of silicone bakeware. Other than the baking sheets, which I adore, I see no need to replace my tried-and-true metal bakeware.)

I do wonder about the manufacturer stating that any cookware can emit fumes if heated in excess of 500 degrees...I know the recent research on Teflon toxicity hinges on the fact that pans on stove burners sometimes overheat beyond the intended usage...Seems likely that oven temperatures could fluctuate and fumes could be released there, too.

And if fumes are harming birds, what as-yet-undetected effect are they having on small children, dogs and cats, or fetuses? Is the nonstick advantage worth the risk?

I just wanted to share my recent and only experience with silicone bakeware. I just baked a cake and from the moment it was in the oven, I was like "what is that awful smell?" I checked to make sure the pan wasn't melting, it was that bad (it wasn't, obviously). Then I turned the vent on high, opened all the windows and my apartment door so me and my kids wouldn't breathe the fumes, and finished baking the cake.

The cake, done now, is great except for all the edges that were touching the bundt style pan, which taste like that fumey smell. It is so disgusting, and prompted me to do a search to see if silicon always does this the first time you use it, or what. Will it always be like this? I must have the cheap version of silicon, and if that is true, what is the difference between this and pricier versions that don't offgas?

I won't even send this pan to Goodwill. No one needs this crap in their homes. If this is just how this pan is, sadly, it is total trash.

Has anyone else experienced this?

I was given a set of silicon bakeware by my mother in law. She smokes heavily and I had to run the things through the dishwasher before using and then washed them again. During and after baking the most awful smell came off of them. I don't know if it's from the bakeware or the smoking. It's awful though.

Jan, were you ever able to wash the smell out of the silicon cookware? I am reluctant to throw away my stinky cake pan, and I don't really want to risk using it again and wasting a cake. I was going to try baking it by itself to see if it still emits a smell, but maybe there's a really good way to wash it first so I don't have to deal with that smell again. Mine was also secondhand, but I have no idea if it was owned by a smoker because we got it at the Goodwill. Anyone have any powerful cleaning ideas for silicon pans that retain a foul stench?

Hi,
I wanted to share that I had the same experience as some of these people. I "tried" a silicone muffin bakewear and it smoked so heavily and smelled so terrible that we had to open all the windows and vent it out. The muffins tasted pretty bad, too. My hubby (who doesn't always go along with my non-toxic living!) said it did smell quite toxic and he didn't think heating silicone up sounded like a good idea at all.
Maybe different brands do make a difference, as this one is just a cheapie. But I won't ever allow this one to go back in the oven or even give it away to someone else. Personally, it wouldn't surprise me a bit if ones like this can kill birds.
J.K. MN

I haven't tried baking in it again, but I will give it a go today to see. It hurt to throw away those banana muffins. But I have to say that I would rather throw away food than cookware, so I will give it another go. Here's to hoping!

I made another batch of muffins and the pans still stunk, but I know it's smoke from my MIL's house. The muffins tasted of smoke and this is after 4 washings and two bakings. Forget it, I will stick with regular pans.

I am a retired Md and also have a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. My wife asked me if silicone bakeware has toxic properties. My response: Users on this site report no problem to a serious problem (bird deaths). I would point out that the silicone process may vary beteen manufacturers so that some may use only sand and oxygen in the process while others may add an organic plasticizer (my conjecture). The first product would probably be safe while the second could be very toxic.

PG

Hi, and thank you for all of your responses about the silicone bake ware. I have decided that it is not worth risking my beautiful loving green parrots/children. One is at least 18 years old and the other is 9 years old. They are far more important to me, in my own humble opinion, than new baking items. :)

Debra, this is a beautiful web site and I appreciate you and your readers. Thanks for being here!

Here is to being green!!

I just used a blue silicone spatula to stir oatmeal cooking on the stove-top to which I added some precooked and frozen apples with cinnamon. My oatmeal began to turn blue/purple. This has been my favorite spatula and I have owned it since maybe last Christmas 07 and use almost daily. This is the first I have noticed any discoloration. I cannot imagine what else has caused the blue tint in the oatmeal. I will not be eating the oatmeal. I have not been able to find anything on the internet yet about dye leaching or being released from silicone. Then I found this website with observations.

Call me a "die-hard" but I'm just so convinced that Iron is the way to go. I do use glass (VERY carefully) and stainless steel but of everything I've ever researched, Iron is ALWAYS the safest..... of course, it's also the HEAVIEST. I don't have to worry about how hot it gets before it offgasses nor do I have to be worried about toxins leaching into food and when I get too weak to carry it to the sink, I'll just clean/season it where it sits!

As far as utensils? I use stainless or wood ONLY. As for muffin pans, one can always find Iron muffin pans on Ebay. Actually, and maybe it was just seasonal demand, last I checked, ANY cookware made of Iron was selling quite well.

Isn't it a shame we have to worry so much about this stuff we cook with. I like iron too, but won't buy any now unless it is produced in the US. After the Chinese companies got caught in putting Melamine in everything protien and killed some of their own people, some of our pets and I think some children here, who knows what they might think up to put in the iron pans....or in the finishes (enamel) on the fancier pans. Even our best companies hop on over to China to get things produced cheap...a little scary.

Not sure what the big deal is with silicon, but don't you think that paper cupcake wrappers or a little grease and flour might be a little easier than worrying about this stuff.

It seems to me we cannot depend on government oversite or even depend on US companies applying any oversite to what happens in the factory as long as it is cheaper.

I agree with the lady WHO WON'T GIVE JUNK LIKE THIS TO THE GOOD WILL...if it is not good for your family, it certainly won't be good for a family, already nutritionally stretched because of finances....BUT TAKE IT BACK TO THE STORE AND GET A REFUND IF YOU HAVE TIME...so they know they are going to lose money if they aren't more careful what they sell.

I tried the Martha Stewart brand of Silicone Muffin Pans. I have MCS, asthma and reactive airway disease. These pans made me short of breath and smelled like plastic. The temperature range said they were good up to 5oo degrees but I was using them at 400 degrees. I wouldn't use them or any other silicone bakeware ever again heated up. I also had to open all of the windows and doors. I wouldn't use around birds either as they are usually more sensitive than humans because of their small size. We use to have a bird and he did fine with the teflon until I burnt something then he started making honking noises and was very distressed. We took him outside until we aired out the house and he was fine but I would never use Teflon again either now that swiched everything over to stainless steel bakeware. You can find heavy duty bakeware on Amazon.com by Gourmet Standard. It is more expensive but it won't rust like the cheaper stainless steel ones you buy at Walmart, K-Mart.

I have a pampered chef silicone spatula that I like. I also have their lead-free 6 muffin size stone bakeware. The 6 muffine size stone bakeware is lighter than their bigger muffin pan for those with bad backs. All of their stoneware is lead-free.

Silicone is said to melt or buckle at 500 degrees anyhow. 350 to 450 degrees is plenty hot for most anything!

I was given a never used pair of cake pans made by the company EKCO called "Baker's Secret". I have been waiting to use them until I researched the "non-toxic FDA approved silicone" they use. After reading several sites, as well as all the above posts on this one, I'm still not sure. Has anyone heard of this particular brand, and is it better than the "walmart" varieties? Just wondering.

I used a Silpat silicone baking sheet tonight at 400 degrees and there was no smell at all. No problems of any kind. I have asthma too like an earlier poster. It was easy to use and rinsed clean quickly. I roasted potatoes on it, without fat and it made really excellent "fries".

Just wanting to let y'all know something regarding the comment about household ovens not reaching 500 degrees. When an oven is preheating, the rapid increase in heat can actually have the oven thermometer reaching 500, even if the thermostat doesn't measure it. So make sure your oven has finished preheating, and has reached the desired temeperature before putting any bakeware inside. This is why oven thermometers are recommended.

I concur with those who assert that nonstick cookware is a threat to parrots. I am one day into a life without my best friends because I thoughtlessly ran the self-clean cycle on my oven without removing the nonstick oven mat first. While the self-cleaning cycle was running, I was all over the house doing other chores. After some time, I went into the living room and was horrified to find my cockatoo ice cold and unresponsive on her playtop. Thoughts of CPR and rescue breathing went through my head, but she was already gone. At the time, my Pionus seemed fine. I didn't put two and two together until a few minites later when the Pionus started showing signs of being disoriented and losing muscle control. I immediately took her outside for fresh air, but it was too late for her, too.

I stupidly left the mat in the oven all the time (clearly, it did not harm the parrots during normal cooking). I even more stupidly did not check inside the oven before running the self-clean. Also, it simply did not occur to me that the oven mat fell into the same category as a non-stick skillet or pan (which I had read was hazardous if overheated). My heart breaks every time I'm reminded of how quickly and easily my mistakes could cascade into my parrots' deaths.

You shouldn't run self clean cycle on the oven even without the nonstick liner without first removing birds & children from the house. My mother in law got a new oven & the manual warns of fumes during the cleaning cycle. I had a parakeet when I was a kid & they really do capture your heart & become members of the family. I'm so sorry for the lady who lost her birds.
I made some fried eggs the other day in a nonstick skillet and forgot to remove it from the burner (about 20 minutes.) It was only on low but I got a migraine before I noticed the burner was still on. Coincidence? Maybe. Will I use teflon again? No.
Alton Brown, on his show "Good Eats" said that a nonstick skillet on medium heat for only 4 minutes will start offgassing.
I like stainless and iron.
Also - regarding silicon - I wouldn't trust any silicon made in China. Not enough regulations in China to keep the consumer safe. Not sure how long they'll be able to continue like this, hopefully they'll get some regulations before they kill themselves off and take the world with them!