If a product doesn’t provide enough information for you to feel comfortable using it, choose another brand.
Can Parchment Paper Release Harmful Fumes?
At temperatures above a product’s recommended limit, parchment paper can degrade, smoke, or burn.
That’s different from saying that normal use automatically releases dangerous chemicals.
If parchment paper is smoking in your oven, however, something is wrong.
Turn down the temperature or remove the parchment once it is safe to do so, and investigate why the paper is overheating.
Smoke is a sign that you’re outside the conditions the product was designed to handle.
And please don’t ignore it simply because the food smells delicious!
The Biggest Mistake: Using Parchment Under the Broiler
If there’s one situation where I would be especially cautious, it’s the broiler.
Broilers expose food to intense, direct radiant heat.
That can be dramatically different from ordinary baking.
Even if your parchment paper is rated for 450°F, that doesn’t mean it’s appropriate to place it directly beneath a broiler’s heating element.
