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Microwaved plastic containers release microplastics into food

pubs.acs.org

41–50 of 320 posts

Re: Microwaved plastic containers release microplastics into food

#41

Why we don't use glassware? It's perfect for food. 1. Easy for cleaning 2. Good glass container will look new for years with proper washing 3. It breaks. So it requires full attention of person handling it. We all want to live in present moment, don't we? Use glassware and you will be in the present moment more often ;)

Maybe I'm in the minority but we (and everyone else we seem to interact with) use pyrex.

Dishes marketed under the Pyrex name are no longer borosilicates. The brand name was sold off (and in fact the company that bought it was recently discussed in HN as they also bought Instant Pot, and have gone bankrupt).

Re: Microwaved plastic containers release microplastics into food

#42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed. I haven’t microwaved food in plastic for 20+ years. It just always seemed gross. My biggest beef with plastic containers is that once washed with cheap dish soap (e.g. Dawn) the plastic container and any food stored in it always an forever smell and taste like the fragrance in the soap. I don’t find this to be a problem when using 7th Generation dish soap, which I consider to be far superior.

>I don’t find this to be a problem when using 7th Generation dish soap, which I consider to be far superior. I feel i'm about to fall into a rabit hole where i read way too much about dish soap. Is this a joke or is there really such a thing as 7th generation dish soap?

It's a brand name.

Re: Microwaved plastic containers release microplastics into food

#43
post #38

I've long ago stopped cooking or putting hot food in plastic containers.. not because of this but because of the possibility other harmful substances leeching from the plastic in to my food. Sure, there are some plastics labeled "for safe" and "BPA-free", but that doesn't guarantee some other plastic that's used doesn't contain harmful substances or cause as yet unknown side effects that just haven't been found by re…

> Sure, there are some plastics labeled "for safe" and "BPA-free" Indeed, it's common to substitute bisphenol-B for bisphenol-A in these situations.

Come buy our DDT-free, strontium laced laxative now!

Re: Microwaved plastic containers release microplastics into food

#44

Why we don't use glassware? It's perfect for food. 1. Easy for cleaning 2. Good glass container will look new for years with proper washing 3. It breaks. So it requires full attention of person handling it. We all want to live in present moment, don't we? Use glassware and you will be in the present moment more often ;)

Glass gets very hot in the microwave. Hot enough to burn skin.

Re: Microwaved plastic containers release microplastics into food

#45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed. I haven’t microwaved food in plastic for 20+ years. It just always seemed gross. My biggest beef with plastic containers is that once washed with cheap dish soap (e.g. Dawn) the plastic container and any food stored in it always an forever smell and taste like the fragrance in the soap. I don’t find this to be a problem when using 7th Generation dish soap, which I consider to be far superior.

>I don’t find this to be a problem when using 7th Generation dish soap, which I consider to be far superior. I feel i'm about to fall into a rabit hole where i read way too much about dish soap. Is this a joke or is there really such a thing as 7th generation dish soap?

It’s just a brand name. It’s not 7th generation in the sense of a 7th gen fighter aircraft.

Re: Microwaved plastic containers release microplastics into food

#46
post #18

Great news, my local council outlawed or out regulated throw away plastic food containers so everything is not in waxed cardboard. Which holds up about as long as the food is actually safe to eat. So win win.

The "wax" is probably a PFAS-rich coating like you see on microwave popcorn bags. Maybe we should use glass, to be honest.

Re: Microwaved plastic containers release microplastics into food

#47

Slightly off topic but I threw out all my pots and pans with non stick surfaces. Nothing will convince me it’s safe to cook food to high temperature on whatever that chemical coating is. And after a while you notice the surface is wearing away…. where is it going? Into you and your family. All my pots and pans are stainless steel.

I 100% agree about cooking with non-stick pans at high heat. Several years ago I switched to a type of non-stick pan that is supposed to be safer and I stopped frying foods [1] and instead simmer in vegetable broth. I take a regular stir-fry Asian, Japanese, Korean, etc. recipe and using the same ingredients but no oil, simmer everything in veggie broth and the results are delicious. I add a tablespoon of cold quality olive oil to the food a minute after I turn off the heat.

[1] my wife likes fried food and she uses an iron frying pan.

Re: Microwaved plastic containers release microplastics into food

#48
post #33
post #18

Great news, my local council outlawed or out regulated throw away plastic food containers so everything is not in waxed cardboard. Which holds up about as long as the food is actually safe to eat. So win win.

That cardboard ain't waxed, it's covered in plastic.

I wouldn't necessarily say that. The cardboard/wax tears quite easily, and the wax tears with the cardboard. I don't think a plastic film would do that.

Re: Microwaved plastic containers release microplastics into food

#49
post #17
post #3

I would love to read the full paper but it is gated behind paywall and I can't possibly pay for every article that I find interesting.

Here https://mega.nz/file/5Bgn1R4K#6BlIb9hUCxc_7JdQq7vvE6YqtCBpsD...

Bless you!

> The highest EDI of these particles for infants occurred when they drank microwaved water stored in a plastic container, while for toddlers, it was when they consumed microwaved dairy products in a container. These findings emphasize the necessity of collaborating with manufacturers to establish guidelines for the appropriate usage of plastic containers. Additionally, it is crucial to work with caregivers in order to raise awareness about the potential impact of these particles.

So parents, beware of feeding bottles!

Re: Microwaved plastic containers release microplastics into food

#50
post #32
post #7

It's great to have some science on it but a lot of people have considered this common sense for one or two decennia.

Have they really? Because many people use plastic Tupperware in the microwave. I've never purchased a piece of tuperware that said it would release microplastics into the food if I put it in the microwave. I don't know what it is lately but I feel like a lot of things labeled as "myths" and "woo woo" seem to be coming out as actually harmful, forever chemicals, fluoride in drinking water are others that come to mind.…

Just not so open that your brains fall out. “This copper bracelet will…” or “these crystals will…”
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