Last Updated on May 19, 2023 by River Tree Farms
Many air fryers come with a safety precaution called Prop 65 warning. But don’t worry because there are also Air Fryers without Prop 65 warning.
Even if your air fryer oven or toaster oven comes with a such warning, they’re still able to make a healthy diet.
So, what does it mean, and why do you need to pay attention to it? Just stay right here with me, and you will get to know everything.
Just stay right here with me, and you will get to know everything.
What is Air Fryers Prop 65 Warning?
Proposition 65 (Prop 65) is a Californian law. This warning label provides clear and reasonable warnings about the following:
- Potential chemical exposure
- Possible health hazards
- Risk of human cancer
- Congenital disabilities or birth defects
- Heart disease,
- Reproductive health issues.
Many air fryer manufacturers are required to include this warning. Because of certain materials, such as non-stick coating or plastic components. These could expose users to harmful chemicals during the cooking process.
While deep-fried food has an amazing crispy texture, it also uses cooking oils. It causes the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and acrylamide.
Studies found less acrylamide formation in air fryers. But the air fryer also needs longer cooking times.
The formation of acrylamide is the topmost chemical that gives air fryers a Prop 65 warning. The high-heat cooking method with longer cooking times increases the risk of acrylamide formation.
Also, many use a ceramic non-stick coating that comes in direct contact with food. Use of aluminum cookware in air fryer machine to removes a fryer from the safe air fryer list.
Why does my air fryer have a Prop 65 warning?
Your Airfryer has a Prop 65 warning to make you aware of the health hazard. Specially, due to the production of Acrylamides.
The National Toxicology Program (NTP) concluded that acrylamide is a possibly carcinogenic chemical. Which means it poses a cancer risk. Its possible formation in foods cooked (charred) on non-stick surfaces causes congenital disabilities.
How is acrylamide produced? Acrylamide chemicals will be created when cooking certain foods under very high temperatures. This happens when you cook multiple foods together with different cooking methods.
An air fryer allows you to fry your food up to 400 F and if you do that, there are higher chances of acrylamide production.
Cooking the following foods in such a manner poses the most risk:
- French fries
- Potato chips
- Canned sweet potatoes
- Canned asparagus
- Breakfast cereals
- Roasted nuts
- Bread crust
- Toast
Do All Air Fryers Have Proposition 65 Warning?
Absolutely no! Not all Air fryers have Proposition 65 warnings. The air fryers are like to not have a prop 65 warning if the air fryer:
- It doesn’t originate from California
- Doesn’t have any exposure to dangerous chemicals
- Doesn’t pose the risk of acrylamide generation
NB: If your air fryer does not have a Prop 65 warning, it doesn’t necessarily mean it is safe. It could mean it is not from California.
Similarly, if your air fryer does have such warnings, it is not automatically unsafe. Or that it has toxic chemicals.
So how do you check if your air fryer has a Prop 65 warning?
- Get your air fryer in front of you.
- Check the bottom of your air fryer or any attachments.
- Check the air fryers’ packaging if you don’t see any warnings.
- Contact manufacturers to get more information if there are no warnings on the product. You can find their information on the manufacturer’s website.
What Should I Do If I See A Proposition 65 Warning?
If you see a Prop 65 warning, don’t panic. An Air fryer isn’t necessarily unsafe just because it has a Prop 65 warning label. It just means that you just have to take some precautions while using it.
What should you do then? Make sure you take precautionary measures in your cooking methods. For example,
- When you are air-frying plant-based foods, do not use temperatures exceeding 340F.
- Try to cook chicken at lower temperatures and shorter cooking times. Also, marinate the chicken before cooking.
- Clean the air fryer regularly. Regular cleaning of the air fryer can help prevent the build-up of grease and fat. This build-up can lead to the formation of toxic compounds.
What is the safest air fryer on the market?
Most air fryers are safer products than traditional deep fryers.
But the Safest air fryers are those without poly-fluoroalkyl substances or, PFAS chemicals. For example, PFOA nonstick coatings.
Even though the nonstick coating makes the cookware easy to clean, it can be toxic to humans.
It would be best to avoid Ceramic nonstick coatings made of nanoparticles. Some nanoparticles, like titanium dioxide, are known to cause precancerous gut lesions.
Some of the safest air fryers in the market are:
- Ninja Air Fryer
- Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer
- Cosori Air Fryer
- Cuisinart Air Fryer
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do air fryers have a cancer warning?
Air frying is considered healthier than deep frying because it uses fewer oils. Still, air fryers are unfortunately associated with a potential cancer warning. Mainly because it creates some harmful compounds like:
- Acrylamides- research says it is carcinogenic (risk of cancer). Produced when air frying food under very high temperatures above 350F.
- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons- These highly carcinogenic hydrocarbons can generate if-
- you do not clean the grease and oil in your air fryer basket after cooking fatty foods,
- they are reheated in the air fryer,
- high-heat meat cooking methods
- Heterocyclic amines-carcinogenic.
However, more research still needs to be done for additional information.
Which Air fryer does not cause cancer?
If you want to buy an air fryer or toaster oven, you would like to buy one that is not likely to cause cancer. Try to buy an air fryer free from cancer-causing properties like PFOA and PTFE.
You can purchase an air fryer of stainless steel rather than a nonstick one. The air fryer basket and the pan will equally be easy to clean.
Which air fryers are non-toxic?
Air fryer baskets made from PTFE-free nonstick ceramic coating aluminum are not toxic. Such as:
- GoWISE USA,
- Chefman,
- Avalon Bay,
- Power AirFryer XL
Ceramic coating that is not made of nanoparticles is a natural material. It is naturally inert and non-reactive. This coating in aluminum air fryers maintains its nonstick properties without using-
- PTFE,
- PFOA
Non-toxic air fryers also are ones that do not produce harmful chemicals. Like, as acrylamides and aromatic hydrocarbons. Such air fryers are like Ninja air fryers brands.
If an air fryer originates from California without a Prop 65 warning, is most likely non-toxic.
Conclusion
Prop 65 warning is essential for us who use an air fryer on a daily basis. The whole purpose of using an air fryer is to stay healthy and avoid any disease. Especially the risk of cancer that might come from eating unhealthy foods.
An air fryer will have a warning if it can expose harmful chemicals to the end-users. But if we remain mindful of our use of it, we can avoid serious health hazards.
Still, it is wise to check if the air fryer does have a prop 65 warning label.
