Can silicone bakeware release cyclic siloxanes into food?

What silicone bakeware can release

Silicone bakeware is flexible and easy to clean. It is made from silicone rubber, which can hold leftover cyclic siloxanes from manufacturing.

These compounds are often named D4, D5, D6, and higher numbers. Heating can move some of them out of the mold and into food or kitchen air.

What the research says

A 2025 study in J Hazard Mater tested 25 silicone bakeware products bought in Canada. The researchers found total cyclic siloxanes D4-D16 at 680 to 4300 micrograms per gram in the bakeware.

They baked for 60 minutes at 177 C and measured siloxanes in a food simulant and in indoor air. The average sum of D4-D16 in the baked food simulant was 105 micrograms per gram. Indoor air reached 646 micrograms per cubic meter during baking, then dropped after baking.

Release went down after repeated baking, which suggests the bakeware loses some trapped siloxanes over time. Young children had the highest estimated exposure by body weight.

What to use instead

For small baked portions, porcelain ramekins are a more stable oven option than flexible silicone molds. Glass, stainless steel, and ceramic bakeware are also better first picks when they fit the recipe.

If you still use silicone, avoid high heat, greasy foods, and old pieces that feel sticky or smell strong.