"Randall Nortman" > wrote in message
nk.net...
> This is something that's been bothering me for a while, but I can't
> find much information about it. When (non-enameled) cast iron gets
> seasoned, what exactly is happening chemically? What is that layer
> you're depositing on the iron? It seems to me that you're essentially
> burning oil and food particles onto the iron. Last time I checked,
> burned, smoked oil is believed to be carcinogenic. The fumes from the
> seasoning process certainly aren't very pleasant, and are presumably
> carcinogenic. And yet, health authorities consistently recommend
> cooking in cast iron as a way to increase dietary iron intake -- are
> they simply overlooking the potential carcinogenic effects, or has it
> been studied and found to be safe?
>
> Anybody know of any hard data about this? Unfortunately, "My grandma
> has been cooking in cast iron for 97 years and she's still alive and
> kicking" doesn't count as hard data, sorry. Yes, people have been
> cooking in cast iron for a long time, and the human species as a whole
> continues to thrive. But then, lots of people get cancer, and we
> don't usually know why.
>
> I'm not trying to be alarmist and tell people not to use cast iron.
> I'm just curious and somewhat concerned.
>
> TIA,
>
> Randall

If you do the seasoning properly the oil does not burn. Rather the prolonged
heat and the contact with the metal (and air) causes a change in the
molecular structure of the oil - the molecules oxidize and bond to each
other forming a hard, dense, dry layer. THis layer is the seasoning that
protects the metal of the pan and also provides the stick-resistant
properties.


--
Peter Aitken
Visit my recipe and kitchen myths page at www.pgacon.com/cooking.htm