Although a rice cooker is not quite an indispensable piece of household equipment, those who have “smelled” it once usually confirm that they would not want to cook rice any other way. It’s simple, convenient, fast and unsupervised. But is it really just an advantage?
We are acquiring more and more small and larger helpers for the household, who will practically take care of various activities by themselves, from washing the dishes, cleaning the floor to, for example, cooking rice. Although it may seem that this is an unnecessary thing that is playfully replaced by a pot of water, it is not quite true. The rice cooker itself checks the necessary time, guarantees that the food does not burn and can even keep the rice at the exact temperature for serving on the plate for several hours after cooking. All this is wonderful and it is no wonder that most of its owners cannot praise the rice cooker.
Prepare the rice according to the YouTube video in the Fitness Tips channel:
Simple preparation of rice
As we mentioned, the main advantage of this device is the fact that no matter how long you leave the rice in it, it will never be overcooked. This is mainly helped by the special surface of the container non-stick layer. And this is where we should really pay attention. Very often it contains fluoropolymers carrying potential risk of adverse impact both on human health and later also on the environment.
Teflon and dangerous acid
Non-stick surfaces inrice cooker they are mostly made up – just like those in the pans – teflon (for the more inquisitive among us it is polytetrafluoroethylene with the abbreviation PTFE), containing an ingredient with another unpronounceable name, i.e. perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). And it belongs to the so-called group, which are practically indestructible both in nature and, of course, therefore also in the human body. It sounds scary, but at present we can already smooth the edges of the fear of such a risk a little. Nevertheless, it is necessary to pay very close attention to the composition of the surface of the rice cooker.
Choose really carefully
The aforementioned PFOA acid, which is associated with the risk of impaired immunity and potential was in the countries of the European Union and in other countries prohibited and most serious manufacturers adhere to this regulation as well. But it is still necessary to make sure when buying a new device that it is a safe kitchen helper. Most producers already inform directly on the packaging that it is a product „PFOA free“. If you can’t find such information at first glance, don’t hesitate to ask the salesperson. Teflon itself without this acid is really safe and we don’t have to worry about it if we follow the rules for using the rice cooker.
When are toxic fumes released?
When, despite the declared safe composition of the non-stick surface, can there be health risks? If you let the container heat up to dry so that it warms up to high temperaturesmay occur to the situationwhen they will start after all release toxic fumes. They are particularly dangerous even in small concentrations for birds, but even humans should not inhale them for a long time. The truth is that, according to the manufacturers, such a condition can only occur when the material is overheated 260 °Cwhich probably won’t happen, but it’s still something to keep an eye on.
Better to throw away the damaged container
A much more real risk is mechanically damaged surface. This can happen, for example, when you use inappropriate tools. As soon as the metal base appears, it is better to replace the container immediately. Even if the risk is rather hypothetical, do not risk your health. In any case, it should be recommended using only wooden, plastic or silicone tools for mixing or removing rice from a container so equipped.
