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If you enjoy baking or cooking, you have likely used parchment paper, but have you ever wondered whether or not it is safe to use?
There can be many different opinions and views on whether or not parchment paper is safe to use. Opinions can be particularly divided when talking about bleached parchment paper.
In this article, we will be going into detail about what parchment paper is, whether or not it is safe to use, and ways you can use it.
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What Is Parchment Paper?
Parchment paper can often be called baking paper, greaseproof and parchment liner. It is paper that is put through a specific process to make it safe to use while baking.
The parchment process involves paper being coated in silicone. This allows the paper to be heat resistant and safe to use in the oven. The silicone allows the parchment paper to be non-stick, which is great for baking.
Along with silicone, parchment paper is coated in sulfuric acid. This helps the paper to be sturdy and oil resistant.
The parchment paper can reach heats of around 420℉. It is available to purchase in a roll or pre-cut sheets. You can purchase either bleached or unbleached paper.
Is Parchment Paper Safe?
In short, yes parchment paper is perfectly safe to use. As it is made specifically for baking, you do not have to worry about it containing chemicals that can be potentially harmful.
Given how high a heat parchment paper can reach, you do not have to worry about it catching fire when left unattended. It is important to place the paper in the middle of your oven. While it does not catch fire at oven temperatures, it can burn after a long period.
Parchment paper can also be safely used in the microwave. If you are reheating something that will potentially stick to the bottom of your microwave or plate, try using some parchment paper to prevent this. It will save you a lot of time cleaning your microwave should any spillages occur.
Although it can sound rather worrying, the silicone coating is perfectly safe. It will not affect the taste or texture of the food you are cooking. The silicone is not harmful. As it is a synthetic rubber, it will not react with the food you are baking and is therefore a safe coating for parchment paper.
Bleached VS Unbleached Parchment Paper
Before purchasing your parchment paper, it is worth noting the differences between bleached and unbleached.
While they do perform the same job, there is one difference you should be aware of.
Bleached
The bleached parchment paper is bleached to produce its white color. While it is still perfectly safe to use, some people are concerned about this. This is because it is treated with chlorine and can potentially contain toxic dioxin.
As a result of this many people tend to prefer to use the unbleached version.
Unbleached
The unbleached parchment paper is brown and does not contain any chemicals at all.
If potential chemicals are something that makes you wary, the unbleached paper would be preferable for you.
Uses For Parchment Paper
Baking And Cooking
Parchment paper is great for use in baking and cooking, especially due to its non-stick nature. You do not have to worry about having to scrape your cookies off the pan when you use it. Simply allow your cookies to cool for ten minutes and they will release from the paper with no issues.
Parchment paper is easy to use and due to it being a non-stick, it can be used multiple times. This is great if you are batch making cookies as you will not have to worry about using too much parchment paper. This is a great way of saving money and being environmentally conscious too.
No Oil Or Butter Needed
Another advantage of using parchment paper is that you no longer have to worry about having to use oil or butter on your pan. As the paper is non-stick, it does not require the use of any oils.
This saves you a lot of time with the cleanup process. Instead of having to soak an oily pan and spend hours scrubbing at it, you simply throw the parchment paper away after use.
Pizzas
Aside from baking, there are many recipes that parchment paper will come in useful for. If you are making and baking your pizzas, you can place your pizza on parchment paper to stop it from sticking to your pan or oven.
With the roll out paper, you can easily cut it to the correct circular size too.
Dim Sum
Did you know that you can also use parchment paper for steaming too? If you are making recipes like Dim Sum, the parchment paper can be placed inside the steamer.
Please only use the unbleached paper for this, however.
Making Bread And Cakes
You can line your baking tin with parchment paper to stop the bread from potentially sticking to your tin.
You can do the same for cakes and other sweet treats too!
Summary And Where To Purchase
To summarise, parchment paper is perfectly safe to use and is a great aid when cooking. Its non-stick and greaseproof nature allows for easy cooking and helps to prevent a big cleanup when you finish cooking.
It is safe to use at a high temperature and it can even be used to line baking tins, in the microwave, and a steamer! It has many uses and comes in a roll or precut sheets.
The only concern people have is with bleached paper as it does contain some chemicals. However, the bleached parchment is still absolutely safe to use. If you are concerned about this, you can use unbleached parchment paper.
We hope this article has helped you, if you would like to purchase any parchment paper, we have provided some Amazon US links below that may be of interest to you.
Unbleached Parchment Paper:
- SMARTAKE 200 Pcs Parchment Paper Baking Sheets
- IF YOU CARE FSC Certified Parchment Baking Paper, 70 sq ft
Bleached Parchment Paper: