Silicone Cookware: the Advantages and Disadvantages

 

Silicone cookware took the kitchen utensils industry by storm after its international food-grade approval in the late 1900s. The vibrant-colored silicone spoons, spatulas, and bakeware are now used everywhere. From simple households to international culinary media, silicone kitchenware has dominated the cookware industry. So what makes silicone cookware different?

 

 

Advantages of silicone cookware

  • Stain-impervious

Silicone cooking utensils are stain-impervious by virtue of their non-porous qualities. 

It doesn’t preserve smells or colors when you utilize it to mix dark-colored foodstuff like turmeric or tomato. Furthermore, the non-porous nature of silicone prevents water from seeping into its surface. Without any moisture retention, fungal and microbial growth is minimized. As a result, the sanitary conditions of the food, the refrigerator, and the utensils drawer are maintained.

 

  • Non-toxic

Food-grade silicone kitchenware has FDA approval for being safe and non-toxic for human use. 

Silicone kitchenware’s inert and impermeable molecular structure prevents reactions at any cooking temperature. As a result, the silicone does not bind with the food particles, preventing food contamination. This quality makes silicone utensils ideal for high-temperature cooking and baking. 

 

  • Flexible

Silicone cookware is also flexible. 

Silicone kitchenware has rubber-like flexible bodies. The flexibility makes it convenient to whisk or stir a silicone utensil in different-shaped pots. The silicone utensils can bend and reach every corner and turn without breaking or damaging the food container. The silicone spatulas’ lithe bodies ensure that every piece or drop of food is scooped out without scratching the container’s inner body. 

 

  • Heat resistant

Silicone cookware’s silica, oxygen, and carbon molecular structure allow it to remain unaffected at extreme temperatures. 

Exceptional heat resistance is particularly important in food processing, ranging from boiling hot to bitterly cold. Food-grade silicone can generally operate from -60°C to +250°C (special grades up to +300°C). At high temperatures, food-grade silicone retains its shape and integrity without deformation.

 

  • Durable

Best silicone kitchen utensils can retain color, shape, and quality regardless of usage frequency. Unlike stainless steel, which decolorizes with time, silicone utensils will look as good as new even after continuous usage. This quality makes investing in silicone cookware extremely cost-effective.  

 

  • Eco-friendly

Apart from being safe for human health, silicone utensils are also eco-friendly. 

Manufacturing silicone requires no mining or deforestation to be carried out. Although silicone is non-biodegradable, one can efficiently recycle it. Moreover, unlike plastic, silicone does not disintegrate into smaller plastic compounds. As a result, it does not threaten animals and aquatic life. If tossed into a landfill, they will be less likely to leak toxins since silicone is relatively inert compared to plastic.

 

  • Lightweight

Silicone cooking utensils are lighter than stainless steel, metallic, ceramic, or wooden. This quality allows people of all ages and physical health to practice cooking with ease and comfort. The low weights aid in convenient transportability and easy storage, allowing the kitchen owner to hang the utensils on wall hangers easily.  

 

Disadvantages of silicone cookware

  • Chemical fillers

Depending on the quality of the silicone products, they may or may not contain chemical fillers. The impure silicone becomes less resistant to high temperatures and can melt into the food contents. Toxic food can harm human health in multiple ways. So you need to be careful in purchasing silicone cookware because not all are technically safe.

 

  • Special recycling process

For silicone products to be down-cycled, you will need to bring them to special recycling centers. Unlike wood and paper, silicone utensils need costly recycling centers to be built. Silicone wastes are processed and recycled at special recycling facilities to remold them into other products. 

 

Selection of silicone cookware

  • Check the silicone grade

It is important to buy food/medical-grade silicone utensils and bakeware.

Food/Medical-grade silicone should contain little or no chemical fillers. Purchasing food/medical-grade silicone ensures you get a product that is as close to 100 percent silicone as possible.

 

  • Avoid chemical fillers

When buying your silicone cooking and baking utensils, choose the ones made of 100% pure silicone, as they do not contain Bisphenol A (BPA). BPA is often used to make plastic containers and bottles. It contains chemicals that can mimic our hormones, causing harmful effects on the human body. 

A quick tip to check for chemicals on a colored product is to pinch the silicone surface. If you can see white in the product while pinching, then a chemical filler has been used. A pure silicone product shouldn’t change color at all.

 

The Bottom Line

Despite its disadvantages, silicone kitchen utensils appear to be excellent. So far, the best cookware material appears to be qualified silicone. Since the direct contact with food, silicone quality must be prioritized. 

As an expert in silicone rubber, XHF has passed ISO9001 quality certification, ROHS, REACH, FDA, and LFGB certifications; we can provide a one-stop OEM/ODM silicone products service for you.