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Microwaved plastic containers release microplastics into food

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Re: Microwaved plastic containers release microplastics into food

#121

Post by noduerme »

OK. Question about this.

Microplastics have measurable negative effects on mammalian brains. That's been shown recently.

I've never microwaved or cooked anything in plastic, and I've yelled at people who do since the 90s.

Unfortunately, I break my own teeth a lot. I've shattered three of them in my sleep. It's not fun to wake up to a giant cracking sound in your head, realize your nerve is exposed, swallow part of a tooth and need immediate dental surgery.

I started using over-the-counter night guards, which I chewed through like a fucking rabbit, little pieces of plastic all over. Finally, recently, I just paid for a "permanent" night guard.

First of all, the way this is done now is amazing. It's a 3D scan of your teeth using a tiny camera wand, and the model is built in full color directly on the screen; I even pointed out to the dental tech, on the model, a red spot where a tortilla chip had wounded me the previous week.

So they shipped me this perfect molded night guard which fits my upper teeth incredibly well, and feels like a gummy on the upper side. On the lower side, though, it has a harder shell and still takes the impact of my lower teeth. And after a few months, it's already starting to fray on the bottom.

With both these things, I have no idea what's in them. PFAS? How much of this shit am I swallowing? Wearing it all night, every night, I wonder what the hell it's leaching into my brain. I don't think there are any real regulations on what they put into them, and they're clearly extraordinary mixes of different plastics.

Re: Microwaved plastic containers release microplastics into food

#122

Post by kelipso »

ChatGTP wrote: post #32
Frummy wrote: 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.…

> I've never purchased a piece of tuperware that said it would release microplastics into the food if I put it in the microwave.

One thing to be skeptical or open minded or whatever but this statement is just stunningly naive. That you would only consider it if the company selling it tell you that. There is a thing called using your brain to come to independent conclusions. I'm probably just pissing into the wind here because I realize the current discourse it that you must listen to your betters and believe only the experts or whatever.

Re: Microwaved plastic containers release microplastics into food

#123

Post by least »

88913527 wrote: post #113
adrian_b wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

True, which is why any buyer must search for glassware that is said to be "borosilicate" and not search for "Pyrex", which has become a meaningless trademark. When you hold it in the hand, real borosilicate glassware is very easy to distinguish from other glassware, because it is noticeably less heavy.

It's unclear what the advantages of borosilicate are from this discussion. Is it merely the lightness? Either-or would seem to solve the problem of microplastic release on microwaving.

We use plastic containers largely for convenience. They're durable, malleable, and don't shatter like glass. They're also lighter and thinner, and cheaper. This makes them useful for things like takeout containers or any situation where you need to transport food.

Borosilicate is more durable than regular glass. It's generally less prone to shattering, and it's also more tolerant of rapid temperature changes.

As far as microplastics go, I don't think it's any better than regular glass, but its properties do make it more suitable for the things we may want to replace plastic for.

Re: Microwaved plastic containers release microplastics into food

#124

Post by globular-toast »

Frummy wrote: 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.

Definitely. I have never, ever microwaved (or otherwise heated) food in plastic. My intuition just screams that it's disgusting and stupid and I honestly can't understand how people can do this.

I don't even store cold food in plastic containers any more because I found out you can buy glass ones. They are so much more convenient and clean.

Re: Microwaved plastic containers release microplastics into food

#125

Post by avidphantasm »

yourusername wrote: post #35
avidphantasm wrote: post #10

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?

7th generation dish soaps use a polyvalent saponification structure that form nano colloids, which result in the formation of trans-Newtonian fluids…

Re: Microwaved plastic containers release microplastics into food

#126

Post by saiya-jin »

robbiep wrote: post #85
jalk wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do you cover the containers with? The plastic covers that comes with pyrex doesn't seems to be anything special.

That’s silicone - and (after a quick fact check) essentially inert biologically

If its really inert, why isn't whole container made of it?

Re: Microwaved plastic containers release microplastics into food

#127

Post by tenpies »

arsome wrote: post #109

Is there any real evidence that consuming these is a problem though? Last I checked the evidence was shaky that this is even problematic for humans and read like a who's who of sketchy medical claims, up there with seed oils killing your testosterone.

The really annoying thing is that when you bring up the generational decline of testosterone in men no one really cares. Then RFK Jr brings it up - quite validly - and now you have the entire Democrat-pharma industrial complex lumping it under "far-right conspiracy theory, probably funded by Russia and MAGA white supremacists who hate women and Muslims".

The irony is that it's a problem that is clearly already having consequences already. It's quite likely it's behind some of the current issues both at the fringes (rapid onset gender dysphoria) and broadly in politics (see the correlation between male testosterone levels and voting patterns). It potentially wipes out humanity way before anything with climate change, but since it affects men, the West just doesn't care.

Re: Microwaved plastic containers release microplastics into food

#128

Post by balder1991 »

grugagag wrote: post #112
arsome wrote: post #109

Is there any real evidence that consuming these is a problem though? Last I checked the evidence was shaky that this is even problematic for humans and read like a who's who of sketchy medical claims, up there with seed oils killing your testosterone.

Why risk it when you could use a different container when microwaving? Convenience has a cost

It’s not just about the containers if you look at the big picture. Micro plastic is everywhere nowadays and if you set yourself to avoid it you’ll have a hard time. Even opening a plastic bottle releases micro plastic in the environment and now all supermarket food comes in plastic. Also the accumulated plastic seems to be reaching us already from the food chain, with marine food being full of micro plastic which goes to our bodies.

But maybe it’s worth avoiding it at all cost? That’s the big question.

Re: Microwaved plastic containers release microplastics into food

#129

Post by graeme »

noduerme wrote: post #121

OK. Question about this. Microplastics have measurable negative effects on mammalian brains. That's been shown recently. I've never microwaved or cooked anything in plastic, and I've yelled at people who do since the 90s. Unfortunately, I break my own teeth a lot. I've shattered three of them in my sleep. It's not fun to wake up to a giant cracking sound in your head, realize your nerve is exposed, swallow part of a…

It's a good question. Can't say I understand the details, but I looked into this years ago and Talon is the material my dentist mentioned. This site claims:

"Safest Splint Tested: There is no discernible leaching of free monomer. Studies verify residual monomer level of only 0.14%"

https://burbankdental.com/products/talon-splints/

Believe this is the manufacturer's site here: https://www.moderndentalusa.com/product/talon-hard-soft-guar...

Re: Microwaved plastic containers release microplastics into food

#130

Post by nick_ »

noduerme wrote: post #121

OK. Question about this. Microplastics have measurable negative effects on mammalian brains. That's been shown recently. I've never microwaved or cooked anything in plastic, and I've yelled at people who do since the 90s. Unfortunately, I break my own teeth a lot. I've shattered three of them in my sleep. It's not fun to wake up to a giant cracking sound in your head, realize your nerve is exposed, swallow part of a…

Do you drink a lot of caffeine by any chance?
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