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Study finds billions of nanoplastics released when microwaving containers

news.unl.edu

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Re: Study finds billions of nanoplastics released when microwaving containers

#71

Post by andersrs »

pkdpic wrote: post #3

> Experiments have shown that microwaving plastic baby food containers available on the shelves of U.S. stores can release huge numbers of plastic particles — in some cases, more than 2 billion nanoplastics and 4 million microplastics for every square centimeter of container. > After two days, just 23% of kidney cells exposed to the highest concentrations had managed to survive — a much higher mortality rate than tha…

1. Every few years we find a new chemical like BPA is bad for us. The companies just made a meme called 'BPA free' and continue making slightly different crap. Goto 1.

I still see microwave popcorn bags, teflon pans and plastic tea bags in shops. The local municipality still pretend that it's all being recycled. It needs to be phased out of food industry leaded fuel as phased out of gas.

Re: Study finds billions of nanoplastics released when microwaving containers

#72

Post by anigbrowl »

dataflow wrote: post #14

As someone who avoids cooking with plastic, I've always wondered... what makes people think it's safe? Does it not occur to most people that plastics can break down through the heat they're subjected to, or do they assume the plastics in question have been specifically designed to adequately withstand that?

what makes people think it's safe?

Marketing, eg https://www.americanchemistry.com

Re: Study finds billions of nanoplastics released when microwaving containers

#73

Post by tarcon »

esafak wrote: post #8

Oof how bad. Can they study dishwashing plastics next? Good thing I used glass. I think parents these days are rather more aware of plastic leaching than those of the previous generation.

The hot water in the dishwasher is flowing through plastic hoses and a plastic sprayer before it reaches the dishes.

Re: Study finds billions of nanoplastics released when microwaving containers

#74

Post by tohnjitor »

userbinator wrote: post #47
SV_BubbleTime wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

First off, there are silicon sous vide bags. Second… if you are at the level that a bag with meat in it for 2 hours at 140 degrees is too risky… you had better get working on that cabin in the woods.

you had better get working on that cabin in the woods. ...where you use a wood stove and inhale far more proven carcinogens instead?

Surely the cabin has a chimney.

Re: Study finds billions of nanoplastics released when microwaving containers

#75

Post by flir »

parentheses wrote: post #69

I absolutely despise microwaves. It comes from a (seemingly) irrational fear of my dad's - formerly a trained chemist, but also just a smart guy. 1. I feel that as with many products, microwaves are also maximized for perceived customer happiness - this means food hot ASAP. So, they're probably pushing out the legal maximum of energy in microwave form. "Better" microwaves are probably worse for this. 2. I notice a di…

Fun fact: Conventional microwaves always microwave on full power. They just flip the magnetron on/off to reduce power output.

If you want the microwave to actually reduce the power output rather than using pulse width modulation, you need to make sure you've got an inverter microwave.

Re: Study finds billions of nanoplastics released when microwaving containers

#77

Post by TedDoesntTalk »

giantg2 wrote: post #22
SV_BubbleTime wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

First off, there are silicon sous vide bags. Second… if you are at the level that a bag with meat in it for 2 hours at 140 degrees is too risky… you had better get working on that cabin in the woods.

Soft silicon products still contain plastic polymers.

Wait, really? Like baby bottle nipples?

Re: Study finds billions of nanoplastics released when microwaving containers

#78

Post by TylerE »

userbinator wrote: post #44
productizeme93 wrote: post #2

It's surprising to me how much we don't understand about plastic still. Years ago I was in a kitchen shop with an out of town friend and we saw some Sous Vide equipment. I told her that we had one and that you could either plastic bags or vacuum sealed bags to cook in the water. Her reaction was an immediate "absolutely not." That's when I realized that she worked in a lab that focused on plastics. Her big call out w…

What exactly were those studies on? Those bags are almost certainly polyethyelene without any additives, which is safe and has been in widespread use for almost a century. Petroleum jelly is far more reactive than PE, although it's substantially the same chemical structure, yet most of us regularly use it on our skin. If the biggest concern about sous vide is the plastic, then I think that's a very strong argument fo…

There are plenty of things that are perfectly safe, even beneficial, on the skin that are harmful if eaten, injected, or inhaled.

Re: Study finds billions of nanoplastics released when microwaving containers

#80

Post by TylerE »

productizeme93 wrote: post #23
SV_BubbleTime wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

First off, there are silicon sous vide bags. Second… if you are at the level that a bag with meat in it for 2 hours at 140 degrees is too risky… you had better get working on that cabin in the woods.

First off there weren't silicon Sous Vide bags back then and the general attitude was "stick it in a plastic bag" and it will be fine. Second, this is coming from someone that works in a research lab in plastics. So pretty well educated. Anything else you want to be condescending and dismissive about? I'm sure we'd all appreciate hearing more about how you know better than the rest of us and please - make sure you le…

The sad thing about people like GP is they'll spread stuff like that for 40 years, and then become silent once they get cancer, COPD, or whatever that quite possibly was at least influenced by their lifestyle decisions.

Sorta like those construction workers that are full of bravado at 25, and can barely get out of a chair at 50 because they wrecked their body with improper lifting technique.

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