Is it safe to use a black plastic spatula for cooking?
Avoid black plastic for hot cooking. Choose wood or stainless steel instead.
Short answer
Do not use black plastic spatulas for hot cooking if you can avoid them. Some black plastic utensils contain brominated flame retardants, chemicals used in electronics and other products, not ingredients you want near hot food.
What the research says
A 2018 Science of the Total Environment study tested 96 plastic kitchen utensils. Bromine was detected in 31 of 69 older utensils and 3 of 27 utensils bought after 2011. The authors measured brominated flame retardants in selected high-bromine utensils. A 2022 review explains that waste electrical and electronic equipment plastics can contain brominated flame retardants, and recycling can move those chemicals into consumer products.
What to do at home
Swap black plastic spatulas for olive wood, stainless steel, or plain wood tools. Heat and fat are the worst use case for mystery plastic, so start with the tools you use in hot pans.
The research at a glance
| Study | Journal | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Brominated flame retardants in black plastic kitchen utensils: Concentrations and human exposure implications. | Sci Total Environ | 2018 |
| Recycling Plastics from WEEE: A Review of the Environmental and Human Health Challenges Associated with Brominated Flame Retardants. | Int J Environ Res Public Health | 2022 |
What to use instead
Shop olive wood utensils to replace black plastic spatulas for hot pans.
Shop Non-Toxic Kitchen