Why does the non stick pot cook and burn when cooking

Non stick cooking pots are usually related to improper use of cookware or poor control of heat. Although there is a non stick coating on the surface of the non stick pan, air burning, dry burning, or continuous heating at high temperatures may still cause food to become burnt. The anti sticking coating of the non stick pot can effectively reduce food adhesion during normal use, but if the water in the pot evaporates completely and continues to heat, the starch in the rice will dehydrate and carbonize due to high temperature. When the temperature exceeds 250 degrees Celsius, the coating may decompose and fail. At this time, the bottom of the pot loses its anti sticking function, and the rice grains directly contact the metal heating surface. Local high temperatures cause rapid evaporation of water, and starch chains break, resulting in burnt substances. When using a metal shovel to scrape or clean, the wear on the coating can also reduce the anti sticking effect and increase the probability of sticking the pot.

Some non stick pans have uneven thermal conductivity due to the thin substrate. When the heat is concentrated in the central area of the pot bottom, the temperature rises sharply and the edge temperature is insufficient, resulting in a phenomenon of central gelatinization and peripheral entrapment. If the power of the induction cooker is set too high during use, the instantaneous heating rate at the bottom will exceed the rate of water evaporation. Failure to stir in time will cause the bottom rice to overheat and carbonize. The exposed metal material in the peeling area of the old pot coating comes into direct contact with food, and its thermal conductivity is much higher than that of the coating area, which is more likely to cause local high-temperature gelatinization.

When cooking with a non stick pot, it is recommended to choose medium to low heat, keep the pot moist during the cooking process, and avoid scratching with metal utensils. Before the first use of a new pot, edible oil can be used to maintain the coating. When cooking sticky food, increase the amount of water appropriately and stir frequently. When coating peeling or obvious scratches are found, the cookware should be replaced in a timely manner. Long term use of damaged non stick cookware may release harmful substances. Daily cleaning can be done by wiping with a soft cloth. Stubborn stains can be treated by soaking in warm water. Hard cleaning tools such as steel wire balls are prohibited.