Learn about your Bhumi Indica cast iron cookware and our testing protocol
We take safety concerns extremely seriously and that’s the reason we go for 2 levels of testing - pre-production and post-production.
Molten Metal test (pre-production)
Cast iron cookware production requires various elements in certain percentages. Any disturbance in the ratios of these elements causes chemicals to seep in or causes the cookware to crack or split when used in daily life. This is the reason we test the molten metal before it’s used to cast the cookware. A small sample is checked for presence of heavy metals and the percentages of critical elements (carbon, silicon, manganese etc) and only when it’s approved we begin production.
Laboratory tests
As a part of the post production testing protocol every batch goes through physical testing at a lab where it’s again tested for heavy metals and chemical composition to ensure that your cookware is absolutely free of any chemicals and is durable enough to last.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Purity and Safety
Certain metals like Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic and Mercury are called heavy metals because they are incredibly dense, stubborn materials that do not break down easily. If old, recycled industrial waste is used during manufacturing of cast iron cookware then these toxic impurities get permanently trapped inside the final output. When such a utensil is heated these invisible toxins slowly bleed into everyday meals. Once inside the human body they act like poison to the cells, damage vital organs and gradually accumulate over time because there’s no natural way to flush them out.
Highly established labs use destructive tests wherein they submerge a utensil into acid for a considerable amount of time to find the exact level of impurities and if none are found then the result usually mentions BQL (below quantification limit), BDL (below detection limit) or ND (not detected) depending upon the lab.
PTFE and PFAS are entirely man-made, synthetic chemicals engineered in laboratories to create smooth plastic-like non-stick coatings in modern pans. They are famously called “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down naturally inside the human body and can stay trapped for years if swallowed or inhaled. When these coated modern pans get scratched or overheated during daily use they release toxic fumes directly into the kitchen and food.
Pure cast iron cookware is made from elemental materials found in the Earth and turns non-stick naturally through continuous use. This is the reason it contains no man-made chemicals such as PTFE, PFAS, or similar chemicals used to create a shiny, plastic-like non-stick coating.
Strength & Durability
cast iron utensil is not just made up of iron. It needs other elements in a well-defined balance to become a product that lasts generations. A durable cast iron utensil requires Carbon, Silicon and Manganese in precise ratios. Carbon enables expansion of the utensil when heated, Silicon prevents the iron from becoming brittle and Manganese binds and neutralizes natural impurities. In addition to these 3 natural impurities in the form of Sulphur and Phosphorus should be tightly restricted and protective minerals like Nickel, Chromium and Copper should be present in tiny, controlled levels. This is what it takes for durable cast iron cookware to take shape!
Following are the recommended percentages of all these elements as per ASTM (American Society for Testing & Materials):
- Carbon: 3–3.5%
- Silicon: 1.8–2.3%
- Manganese: 0.6–0.9%
- Sulphur: below 0.12%
- Phosphorus: below 0.15%
- Trace elements (Nickel, Chromium and Copper): below 0.15% each
Click here to see the chemical composition report of our latest batch.
If a hot pan is put directly under water then it experiences a sudden change in temperature and that causes the metal to shrink instantly. This creates structural stress that can cause the cast iron cookware to crack or split. That’s why you should wait for your cast iron cookware to cool down before you wash it.