Ticona said this week that its Vectra E540i LCP product can be used in baking pans and trays for bread, pastry and other baked goods, as well as to cook and storefood.
"Compared to metal, LCP cookware and bakeware comes to temperature more quickly and transfers heat more uniformly, which can increase productivity,decrease burning and promote more even browning," the company claimed in announcing thelaunch of the coating.
The product also allows food to be moved from freezers and refrigerators to ovens without changingcontainers.
The Vectra LCP withstands all food preparation steps from -20°C to 240° C, and is suitable for use in conventional or microwave ovens and freezers, including thoseinvolving shock freezing, the company claimed.
Relative to metal, cookware made with the polymer comes to temperature more quickly, transfers heat more uniformly and coolsmore safely, the company claimed. Vectra E540i has an inherently smooth surface that allows bakedgoods to be released more easily. The substance can also be cleaned more easily than aluminum.
"It also cuts operating costs and downtime because it does not need periodic recoating with fluoropolymer or reglazing with silicone as is the case withmetal," the company claimed.
The compound is based on a highly inert and chemically resistant polymer, so it resists staining and repeated exposure to dishwashing detergents and hot water, the company said.
As a tough material, it resists scratches, tolerates impact without denting, and has good puncture resistance, even at lowtemperatures, Ticona claimed.
The polymer is compliant with US Food and Drug Administration and EU food contact regulations,the company said.
Ticona Technical Polymers is one of the businesses of Celanese Corp.