what is the enamel on cast iron pans
Cast-iron cookware Enameled cast iron is cast iron that has a vitreous enamel glaze. The enamel coating over the cast iron prevents rusting, eliminates the need to season the metal, and allows more thorough cleaning. Furthermore, pigments used in the enameling process can produce vibrant colors. While enamel-coated cast iron doesn't have the seasoning and cleaning issues of bare cast iron, it can be several times more costly, and does not have some of the benefits of bare cast iron, such as the ability to withstand searing heat and resist sticking. It limits the leaching of dietary iron, and chipping of the enamel coating can be a concern.
Iron(III) oxide Iron(III) oxide or ferric oxide is the inorganic compound with the formula Fe2O3. It is one of the three main oxides of iron, the other two being iron(II) oxide (FeO), which is rare, and iron(II,III) oxide (Fe3O4), which also occurs naturally as the mineral magnetite. As the mineral known as hematite, Fe2O3 is the main source of iron for the steel industry. Fe2O3 is ferromagnetic[citation needed], dark red, and readily attacked by acids. Iron(III) oxide is often called rust, and to some extent this label is useful, because rust shares several properties and has a similar composition. To a chemist, rust is considered an ill-defined material, described as hydrated ferric oxide.[citation needed]