The lining on the inside of a nonstick pan is made of plastic. When heated, it can release toxic fumes; when scratched, it can chip off, blending in with tasty bits of char and grains of pepper. “Data indicates that there are no health effects from the incidental ingestion of nonstick coating flakes,” the company that produces Teflon says, noting that the government has deemed the cookware “safe for consumer use.” Still, it warns people to turn their burners down and air vents up when they use their nonstick pans, and to avoid preheating them empty.