Every claim at Biohacks is backed by studies published in peer-reviewed journals, official certifications, or regulations from recognized agencies. Here's the source.
For decades we assumed that if something was in the kitchen or the bathroom, it was safe. Regulations existed, products were approved. What could go wrong?
The answer came in the form of studies: microplastics in human blood, PFAS (perfluoroalkyl compounds) in adipose tissue, heavy metals leaching from cheap coatings. Not as a theoretical risk, but as findings documented in real human samples.
At Biohacks we start from the available evidence and select materials that have demonstrated their safety for centuries before the most demanding regulatory bodies.
— Ragusa et al., Environment International, 2021 / Leslie et al., Environment International, 2022
Four materials form the core of our catalog. Each has a documented safety profile and a concrete advantage over the synthetic alternative.
316 steel (also called surgical or marine grade) contains molybdenum in its alloy, making it significantly more corrosion-resistant than 304. It's the standard in medical implants, food-processing equipment, and the pharmaceutical industry.
The EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) classifies food-grade stainless steels as inert materials, safe for food contact, including at high temperatures.
It releases no microparticles, absorbs no flavors or odors, and doesn't degrade with washing. A well-cared-for product lasts decades with no change in its properties.
A scratched Teflon pan can release up to 2.3 million microparticles per liter of water, according to Environmental Science & Technology (2023). Steel has no such structural problem.
Copper is the only solid metal registered by the EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) as a material with antimicrobial properties. Its ability to destroy bacteria, viruses, and fungi has been validated in hospital settings.
Copper eliminates over 99.9% of pathogenic bacteria (including E. coli and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) within two hours of contact. — EPA Antimicrobial Copper Registration, 2008.
Egyptian, Greek, and Roman civilizations used copper vessels to preserve drinking water. Its use as an antimicrobial material is not a trend — it's a technology with 4,000 years of documented history.
Ideal for frequent-contact surfaces (handles, faucets, kitchen utensils) where microbial load can be reduced passively and continuously without additional chemicals.
Borosilicate glass (known commercially as Pyrex) contains boron oxide, giving it very low thermal expansion. It withstands sudden temperature changes without breaking and doesn't react with acids, bases, or organic solvents.
Unlike BPA-free plastics, which can still release other endocrine disruptors like BPS or BPF, borosilicate glass migrates no compounds into food or water under any normal use conditions.
Certified by the FDA and EFSA as safe for food contact. It's the standard in chemistry and pharmaceutical labs precisely because of its chemical inertness.
Studies in Environmental Health Perspectives show that many BPA substitutes exhibit similar or even greater estrogenic activity. Glass removes the chemical-migration variable entirely.
Teak and olive wood contain natural oils that give them some resistance to water and surface bacterial growth. They aren't sterile, but in normal culinary use they compare favorably with plastic boards.
A University of California Davis study (Dean O. Cliver, 1994, later replicated) showed that bacteria penetrating a wood board's surface don't reproduce and die as it dries, while on scratched plastic boards bacteria thrive in the grooves and resist standard washing.
A regularly used plastic cutting board introduces microscopic polyethylene fragments into food. Recent estimates suggest a person can ingest up to 50 g of microplastics a year from kitchen utensils.
PTFE coatings release PFAS compounds when overheated (>260°C) and microparticles when scratched. PFAS are persistent compounds linked to hormonal dysfunction, liver damage, and elevated cardiovascular risk.
Both BPA and its substitutes (BPS, BPF) show documented estrogenic activity. Moreover, all plastics release microparticles with use, heat, and time — regardless of their chemical composition.
Aluminum is a reactive metal that can migrate into acidic foods (tomato, citrus, vinegar). The EFSA has set a tolerable weekly intake for aluminum and recommends limiting food contact, especially with acids.
Triclosan, a biocide in many cleaning products, is classified as an endocrine disruptor and has been banned in cosmetics in the EU and in personal-care products in the U.S., yet it persists in some household items.
A selection of the scientific publications and regulatory documents our claims are based on. The list is updated as new evidence emerges.
Ragusa, A. et al. (2021). Plasticenta: First evidence of microplastics in human placenta. Environment International, 146, 106274.
Leslie, H.A. et al. (2022). Discovery and quantification of plastic particle pollution in human blood. Environment International, 163, 107199.
Quadros, M.E. et al. (2023). Plastic particles released from non-stick cookware during cooking. Environmental Science & Technology.
Marfella, R. et al. (2024). Microplastics in atherosclerotic plaque and cardiovascular risk. New England Journal of Medicine.
EPA. (2008). Antimicrobial Copper Alloys — Registration Approval. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
EFSA. (2016). Safety of aluminium from dietary intake — Scientific Opinion. EFSA Journal, 14(10):4582.
Cliver, D.O. (1994). Plastic and wooden cutting boards. University of California Davis — Food Safety Laboratory.
Rubin, B.S. et al. (2011). Bisphenol A: An endocrine disruptor with widespread exposure and multiple effects. Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.