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A week or so ago I did a post on the silicone cupcake liners which I love. Someone commented that they did not feel that the silicone was a safe thing to use as it had chemicals that could leach into the food, etc.
This concerned me, because anyone will tell you, I am an eco-freak. Actually, I am an eco-freak from long lines of eco freaks, my ancestors were all pretty much farmers and were into organics way before it was cool. But I digress.
I n my eco- freakiness I decided to do some research to see what I could find out. After all, my readers support me! If I am going to recommend something to you I don’t want it to be something that will kill you off. Here is what I found out. From Debra Lynn Dadd: I tried to find some information on the health effects of silicone rubber, but it was not listed in any of the toxic chemical databases I use.
I went to the Dow Corning website (who makes over 700 different silicone rubbers) and looked at a random sample of their MSDSs. The ones I read listed no hazardous materials or health effects, or needed first aid measures. All descriptions I read of silicone rubber describe it as chemically inert and stable, so it is unlikely to react with or leach into food, nor outgas vapors. MSDSs also note that silicone is not toxic to aquatic or soil organisms, it is not hazardous waste, and while it is not biodegradable, it can be recycled after a lifetime of use.
Some years back there was a question about the safety of silicone used in breast implants. Whether or not the health problems experienced by some women with breast implants were associated with the implants has been very controversial. I found an article from the year 2000 on a leading website on breast cancer and related women’s issues that states “A large study conducted by researchers from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) finds no correlation between silicone-filled breast implants and breast cancer risk.”
The prolonged inhalation of crystalline silica dust is associated with silicosis, but there is no silica dust exposure from the use of silicone kitchenware.
O.k…That sounds good!
I read through the description of it on free patents online and saw nothing that would indicate a health risk.
Basically everything I did read, and there was not a lot specifically dealing with this, maintained that all chemicals were inert and did not pose health risks.
I read a ton of bloggers that loved using them, found out that they are not always perfectly nonstick, and that sometimes the bake time can be longer ..Other than that, go for it!
I try to keep in mind that we live lives in a precarious balance. Is it better to use plastic bags that never biodegrade? Paper than use up valuable resources? Canvas that you have to research to make sure they were not made by children in foreign sweatshops? Living is very complicated these days if you give any thought to it. Sometimes we have to research a subject, admit that the research may be flawed, and follow our conscience in the matter.
I prefer to use reusable items. These are. I prefer not to use bleached and dyed paper. These are not. I love the ease with which they clean up, the fact that I always have them available and the fact that after using them for a month or so I have recouped my investment. For me these are a good thing and a product I will continue to use.
I hope this information is helpful to you. :)
Silicone is not safe! Take a look at the TMJ Implant Disaster, the penile implant, the warnings on silastic(silicone) reactions. Many are allergic to silicone and metal debris caused by failed implants. If we continue to let Medical Companies and Manufacturers the right to decieve us then we all become fools to evil, with no rights for the patient.
With Flawed Research, kickbacks, and no accountability why bother to regulate at all! We pay for research, higher medical costs because of poor doctors, manufacturers and drug companies getting away with murder, and many from the FDA who contienue to let these abuses continue and government wants to handle our medical insurance? No thank you…and what catagory do TMJ Implant survivors fit into? No one wants to claim us! We can only be truly informed if we have honest and truthful research so we can make a wise decision, after all we are the end consumer!
Love Never Fails….http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nQy-aP_Koo
I meant those on the right are not evil, racist facists.
There is absolutely nothing here that shows me the silicone products are safe. The fact that everyone “thinks” it’s safe, does not convince me. Owens Corning, Dr. Weill, and anyone else who have leftist tendencies don’t convince me as the left is into depopulation from Marxist propaganda. The original head of Greenpeace had to quit because of the people who came into the organization. While Greenpeace wanted to truly save the environment, wanted a green world and believed in goodness through and though, the left has taken over the movement to destroy our environment, destroy our freedom and way of life and depopulate in the name of greediness and evil. As for the safety of Silicone, I came to search the Internet because my patented-chemist friend saw the box of silicone parchment paper I was using and became concerned. We cannot be too careful in this world. 98% of the food we’re eating is laced heavily with Round-Up and Pesticides starting from the soil, going into the seed and then on the plants itself. Since weeds now have a resistance to it, they have been upping the dosage of poisons. With Monsanto at the helm and the FDA not really testing foods and not filing safety reports, we are definitely not safe. Monsanto with Rockefeller is at the forefront of depopulation and food control. They say, “Control the food, control the world.” Look it up. GMO food. The same is true for hormone injected meat. Flouride is an ingredient Hitler used to control their prisoners. It rots the teeth rather than prevent cavities. It is now in most of the water supply. It’s main purpose is to sterilize the population, cause cancer and dummify the mind. Aspertame has 92 poisons in it with the main ingredient being rat poop. The planes flying overhead with chem trails contain more chemicals to destroy our food supply, our air quality and the population. Then there’s our hi-def TV’s and lightbulbs. The strobing light is to control the minds of people, bodies of people any which way possible–and death is a possibility with them. That is why there’s a Bill in Congress to get rid of the bill making those headache creating, mercury-filled lightbulbs mandatory. If you drop one of the lightbulbs, open all your windows, leave the house for 3 days and call a hazmet team. (this is no exaggeration). The more people wake up to the fact that those on the left are not evil racist facists, but rather trying to save the world of a fate of tyranny, death and destruction the better. So do I trust the silicone even though I bought it through an organic, natural product supplier? You bet I don’t.
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA400274
According to Health Canada website (government) silicone is safe for baking, They do recommend that you do not bake at temperatures of higher than 428 degrees as this can cause melting. Perhaps the source of the odor? Food grade silicone is made by bonding silicon and oxygen, both natural sources even though this is a synthetic rubber.
baking with silicone bakinfg pans do I put them on a baking sheet or right on the oven rack its self
do I need to put the silicone pan on a baking sheet or right on the oven rack its self
I have th silicone pan or 2 I’m afraid to use them in the oven do I put them on a baking pan or right on the oven rack
High probability that these are causing parrot deaths in homes… If so, it may not be toxic to you but who knows… I would never use anything I was not 99.9% sure of, this scares me and has killed at least two birds that I know of.
I have just finished baking some muffins using silicone rubber muffin tray. The muffins that I baked got very strong plastic smell, yet, I ate one of the muffin and I am feeling very uncomfortable now.. hence I google to search for more information about this silicone rubber..
the silicone rubber muffin tray is from London, is a souvenir from my friend who visited London last week! I did not keep the packaging..or else I will search the manufacturer…
That’s bad… :(
The lack of information about silicone does not assuage my doubts. I want proof, I want research. It is very dubious to me that a soft slippery material does not off-gas or leach, especially at high temperatures. And for those who say use teflon, that’s certainly been documented to be toxic and an accumulator in the body. Owners of parrots are told to never use teflon, either in bake-ware or from teflon coated irons, as the high heated teflon creates a toxic gas. Do you want to breathe a gas that is toxic to birds?
Arguing something with “Do you want to breathe a gas that is toxic to birds?” is the most ridiculous statement ever. Avocados are also toxic for birds, does this mean you won’t eat those? There is nothing saying that just because a gas is created that it will be toxic to humans, or be created in enough quantity to have an effect on your body.
If silicone doesn’t offgas, why did my smoke detector (upstairs) go off the first (and last) time I baked with my new silcone muffin cups? I set the temperature 25 degrees below the prescribed limit (400). I bought them via mail order, so they just may have been of inferior quality, but I won’t give them a second chance.
Thank you! I Googled about the toxicity of silicone and found your blog. I know it is not quite relevant but I was looking to find out about the toxicity of the silicone cases used for iPhones and am relieved they are not.
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I guess when in doubt stick with stainless steel or teflon. As long as it doesn’t chip it should be fine.
“I guess when in doubt stick with stainless steel or teflon.” No, when in doubt, don’t ever use teflon. It offgasses fumes that are toxic to birds (as in your bird died from its lungs liquefying and there’s nothing you can do to save it) and it’s bad for humans as well.
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Some of the so-called “silicone” bakeware (the cheaper ones naturally) are not 100% silicone and so the odor people are smelling when they bake in it is probably PLASTIC, which is used a filler!
You did a lot of research and so did Debra Ladd, but I do not think that materials published by manufacturers or their associations or even the MSDS reports, which are not often verified by independent sources, are accurate places to get unbiased facts about the dangers of products.
I agree with the posters who indicate that the jury is not yet in on the safety of silicone products, and I for one will not expose myself or my family to foods heated to high temperatures in materials of questionable construction.