Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/Thai Liang Lim
Topics: Health, Cancer, Air Fryers
Callum Jones
A doctor has explained why she's decided to bin her air fryer amid concerns over the risks associated with the popular kitchen appliance.
Air fryers have become a staple in the lives of everyday Americans, and it's not difficult to see why.
Why put your meal in the oven for 30-45 minutes when you can stick it in the air fryer for 15 minutes and be done?
On top of that you can basically put everything in air fryers these days, so what's not to love?
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Well, Dr Poonam Desai has suggested there are some drawbacks to the cooking device that millions of Americans have in their homes.
"I am a longevity doctor and I threw out my air fryer," the health expert said in a recent Instagram video.
"While air fryers provide a healthier alternative to deep frying by using less oil, they can produce acrylamides - chemicals linked to cancer - during high-heat cooking."
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Acrylamide, a white crystalline solid, forms on foods when cooked at high temperatures.
The chemical was found to cause cancer in laboratory animals at high levels, however, it's important to note the same has not been proven for humans.
"The longer and hotter the food is cooked, the more acrylamide it can produce," Dr Desai continued. "Many air fryers contain non-stick coatings that contain PFAS that can be harmful to health."
However, giving your air fryer a good clean should help eliminate the chemicals.
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Dr Richard Anderson, who is the head of learning and development at High Speed Training, said (via The Daily Express): "It’s recommended that you give your air fryer a light clean after every use and a deeper clean every month, or every few uses if you regularly cook greasy foods.
"For a monthly deep clean, you’ll need to clean all the accessories and inside the appliance more thoroughly to remove burnt-on food, grease and odours.”
He added: “Even though some air fryers are labelled as dishwasher-safe, dishwashers can strip the non-stick coating on the air fryer components.
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"For stubborn, baked-on grease, try filling the tray or drawer with water, drop in a dishwasher tablet and leave to soak overnight. Then, simply rinse clean the next day."
It's incredibly important that you give your air fryer a good ole' clean as some of them contain polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are a group of chemicals used in food packaging, toiletries, non-stick cookware, and carpets.
These chemicals don't 'break down easily in the body', according to the American Cancer Society, and can end up being present for a long time.
Some research has suggested that exposure to such chemicals can increase a person's risk of developing cancer.