NAD Finds That Cookware Claims Don't Stick

Caraway Home sells nonstick cookware that is made with a non-toxic ceramic coating and without "forever chemicals" (i.e., per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)). The company advertised that "most traditional cookware is made with forever chemicals and when they are overheated, they can release those same toxins into your food and home." Cookware Sustainability Alliance challenged this and various other claims before NAD saying that the claims conveyed the unsupported messages that Caraway nonstick cookware is healthier and safer than competitor nonstick cookware and competitor nonstick cookware exposes consumers to a harmful form of PFAS.

Caraway argued that its claims were supported because polytetrafluroethylene (PTFE)—the PFAS compound used in traditional nonstick cookware—is known to be "toxic." The company's expert pointed to several studies showing that when PTFE-coated cookware is exposed to high enough temperatures, the material can decompose and