Based on a survey conducted by the SupermarketGuru and the National Grocers Association, 89% of the US consumers currently eat at their homes and 33% dine out fewer than once a month.
This means that consumers have started cooking in their own kitchens due to increasing food prices and current economic conditions. They are now concentrating more on kitchen remodels to make cooking easy, safe and convenient. Global marketing manager for XIAMETER brand of Dow Corning, Justin Jorgensen remarked that in the modern kitchen, silicones and silicon-based materials have several roles. Many homeowners are exploring the benefits of silicon-based materials that can make cooking and cleaning easier, safer and fun.
Flexibility, durability and stability are the major benefits of silicones. Hence, they are preferred for various applications in the present kitchens. Silicone rubber is utilized in the heat-resistant kitchen products like flexible bakeware, potholders and spatulas. Silicone rubber bakeware eliminates the need for flouring or greasing. Silicone potholders and oven mitts prevent users from burns and silicone spatulas can withstand high temperatures without melting. Similarly, silicone containers do not crack when they are directly transferred from the freezer to the oven. Silicone kitchenware is available in different sizes, shapes and colors.
In addition to offering benefits to consumers, silicone rubber provides benefits to manufacturers ranging from excellent processability to performance at a broad temperature range. Applications of silicon-based materials in modern kitchens include silicone wire coatings used in appliances, silicone sealants used for countertops and silicon semiconductors used in computer chips for controlling high-tech electronic appliances.