Chef Zach Fortney at The Belvedere Inn stands for a portrait on April 2, 2021.
Kate Landis / WITF
What is pollution-free cooking and what are its benefits?
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Aniya Faulcon
Kate Landis / WITF
Chef Zach Fortney at The Belvedere Inn stands for a portrait on April 2, 2021.
Airdate: December 16, 2022
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The holidays are a time where Pennsylvanians and people across the world gather with family, cook meals and enjoy each other’s company.
In an effort to learn more about a healthier and environmentally friendly way of cooking this holiday season, Dr. Stephanie Lee, assistant professor of pediatrics at Penn State Health and Chris Galarza, chef for Forward Dining Solutions joined us on The Spark Friday to discuss pollution-free cooking and its benefits.
Dr. Lee said, gas stoves contribute to indoor air pollution because they can release particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and greenhouse gas.
Some of the health risks to cooking with gas stoves are: lung irritation, wheezing for children, asthma symptoms, increased risk for an asthma diagnosis and bronchitis.
Lee said, people with pre-existing conditions, especially those with lung issues, can be at a higher risk for the health effects of indoor air pollution.
Galarza suggested that people upgrade their gas stoves to electric stoves, buy a portable induction cooktop, open their windows or increase ventilation in their kitchen when cooking on a gas stove.
“Cooking is about fundamentals and technique. Folks need to understand that, chefs need to understand that,” Galarza said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re braising stew on a campfire or your induction range; it’s exactly the same… That’s one of the biggest barriers that I have with chefs is to get them over that hump and help them understand that and once they do, they realize that their only limitation isn’t their fuel source but what they put on themselves.”
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