Home cooks might be doing more harm than good by using cooking sprays as a healthy alternative to regular oils, unaware that they could damage their beloved air fryers. Though it seems like a harmless addition to make cooking easier, these sprays often contain an ingredient that can degrade the air fryer itself, especially those bought from supermarkets. The culprit behind this is the chemicals added into commercial cooking sprays, including an emulsifier known as lecithin, which is commonly used in food products to enhance texture by binding ingredients that don't naturally mix. Air fryer chef and expert Sam Milner warned Homes & Gardens readers about the dangers of spray oils containing lecithin, noting that it can erode the non-stick coating on air fryers over time, reports the Express.
Sam highlighted: "Chemicals added to commercial spray oils cause damage to your air fryer, since they contain an emulsifier called lecithin, which slowly breaks down the coating on your air fryer.". This warning extends to all non-stick cookware, as the breakdown of the coating could potentially release harmful toxins into your food. Martin Bucknavage, a food safety expert from the Penn State Department of Food Science, dished out some sizzling advice to The Spruce Eats about the pitfalls of using cooking sprays in air fryers.
He warned lecithin found in these sprays has a low smoke point and is "less stable" compared to those with higher smoke points, which means they can break down under the high heat of an air fryer. He cautioned: "This can gunk up your equipment, specifically the tray or basket and potentially ruin the surface.". Not only can these sprays mess with your gear, but Martin also highlighted how they might affect the grub you're cooking up. He added: "The spray oils can cause discolouration and produce a slightly off flavour. If you have ever sprayed Pam onto a hot pan, you see how dark the colour gets.".
So while it might seem like a healthier move to use a cooking spray for your air-fried feast, it's not worth the risk to your appliance. Instead, he suggests going for oils such as avocado, canola, peanut, sesame, or sunflower. To keep your air fryer in tip-top shape, just give the basket a light dab with a non-aerosol spray bottle, a silicone brush, or even a bit of kitchen roll. If you want ideas and inspiration to plan your next UK adventure plus selected offers and competitions, sign up for our 2Chill weekly newsletter here.
