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Comment by sudobash1 | Hacker News Reader

The article says nothing about PFAS. It states that bakers' parchment paper is treated with silicone.

But the truth is that a parchment paper is impossible without PFAS.

That is not true. Especially since TFA clearly dates the invention of parchment paper to 1847, nearly a century before the synthesis of PFAS.

How so? Parchment paper is cellulose impregnated with silicone.

That is the current incarnation of parchment paper, but before that it was impregnated with Quilon, which I understand is fatty acids stabilized with trivalent chromium.

did chromium become another type of fluorine while we all weren't looking or is this just a fun fact wholly unrelated to the bit about PFAS upthread?

The concern is twofold. First, chromium is an element and as such does not break down, it can only be secreted. Second, the higher oxidation state Cr(VI) is a known carcinogen. It's claimed the Cr(III) here will not oxidize to Cr(VI) under normal cooking conditions, however.

My understanding is the claim that Cr is a necessary micronutrient is disputed.

so... wholly unrelated to the claim that it's impossible to make parchment paper without polyfluoroalkyl substances which is what was being refuted in the thing you replied to?

I was pointing out a concern with that non-PFAs solution.

I also understand the silicone in current parchment paper isn't a PFAS, as it contains no fluorine.

The tl;dr of an article should be about the article.

come on now, you're really expecting too much of the internet with that kind of thought process.

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