Rethink Using Parchment Paper in the Kitchen

Parchment paper is a common kitchen tool. Cookies lift easily from baking trays, roasted vegetables don’t stick, and cleanup is simple. It’s convenient and widely used—but questions sometimes arise about how safe it is at very high temperatures.

Its nonstick quality comes from special coatings, usually silicone or sometimes quilon. Silicone is generally heat-resistant up to about 420–450°F, but higher temperatures can start to degrade the coating and create odors. Quilon-coated paper, used less frequently today, contains chromium compounds and can raise additional concerns if overheated. That unusual smell during very high-heat cooking may simply be the coating beginning to break down.