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Cooking with black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid

theatlantic.com

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Re: Cooking with black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid

#521

Post by newZWhoDis »

crazygringo wrote: post #408

I really wish OXO would put out a statement here. A lot of people use it's black plastic tools like this one [1] -- like a lot of brands, OXO calls its black plastic tools "nylon" to differentiate from "silicone" -- and it would be really, really good to know if OXO has always rigorously made sure never to use recycled plastics, or if testing shows that its own products contain flame retardants. In other words, when…

We need to eliminate plastic wherever possible, especially where it might come into contact with food.

What I hate is even paper containers have plastic lids. I worry the plastic snap-off lid is shedding microplastics into my orange juice, or by beef is getting plastic strands when I cut in to the vacuum sealed packaging.

Re: Cooking with black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid

#522

Post by kazinator »

Cthulhu_ wrote: post #218
shiroiushi wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The main problem here is that many people use non-stick cookware, and metal spatulas will scratch them up badly. Plastic or rubber spatulas don't do that. Of course, you can say that they shouldn't use non-stick cookware, but they are, so...

Wood is an option, but look for solid wood, I don't trust these bamboo ones that are made from laminated / glued slats. Bamboo "wood" will be the next major thing I'm sure, sold as co2-neutral and biodegradeable, but soaked in glues / resins to make it useful.

Have you seen those "bamboo" bowls, and cups and whatnot being marketed as environmentally friendly?

They are obviously something like 70% plastic resin, 30% sawdust.

Re: Cooking with black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid

#523

Post by amluto »

chongli wrote: post #471
ebiester wrote: post #461

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not about cleaning. It's about the increased amount of oil needed to prevent delicate foods like eggs and fish from sticking. That adds cost and calories.

Carbon steel solves this issue. You can get nonstick eggs and fish with a very minimal amount of oil. You can also do this with stainless steel but it takes more practice to get the temperature control down. Maybe one day we’ll all have affordable temperature controlled induction ranges similar to the Breville/Sage control freak. If you have the ability to preheat your pan to an exact temperature then getting nonstic…

The Control Freak is fantastic, but it doesn’t work all that well with some cast iron pans. I think there are a couple reasons:

1. Too much thermal mass and too little thermal conductivity. This causes poor feedback and unnecessarily high delay between heat being added and the measurement reflecting it.

2. Manufacturers love to cast their logo right in the bottom center, which means that the sensor doesn’t make good contact with the pan.

I wonder if someone makes a nice stainless-aluminum-carbon steel clad pan.

Re: Cooking with black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid

#524

Post by [deleted] »

shiroiushi wrote: post #187
euroderf wrote: post #174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This entire discussion points me towards a conclusion that metal-on-metal is the conservative way to go. So what is the problem with this as a solution ? Do we have to worry about microbits of metal disrupting physiology ?

>So what is the problem with this as a solution ? Non-stick cookware was invented for a reason.

[deleted]

Re: Cooking with black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid

#525

Post by kazinator »

Amezarak wrote: post #237
shiroiushi wrote: post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>So what is the problem with this as a solution ? Non-stick cookware was invented for a reason.

I've found pre-heating the pan solves basically 100% of "stick" issues, even with eggs. I wish somebody had told me 20 years ago.

If you just started heating the pan 20 years ago, you'd be good today without anyone telling you anything.

Re: Cooking with black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid

#526

Post by newZWhoDis »

losvedir wrote: post #480
denvaar wrote: post #428

I would like to know if the plastic used in my Moccamaster is subject to these hazards. I bought it specifically because they claim to use food-grade quality plastic that is supposed to be safe.

I just went through a whole thing trying to get rid of plastic from my coffee setup, since I make coffee almost every day (sometimes twice). I couldn't find any plastic-free drip coffee makers, other than maybe the Ratio 8. In the end, I settled for a Chemex and doing pour over, which I've actually really enjoyed. So I recommend that if the plastics are giving you pause, although I can imagine giving up your Moccamas…

My problem with a pour over is how agonizingly slow it is, and it requires 3-4 refill interactions to actually make a decent “pot” of coffee even with the largest chemex they sell.

I timed it once and I can literally get in the car and drive somewhere and get home with a 32oz coffee faster than my chemex can produce the same amount.

I’d pay $3k or more for a coffee maker that

1) had water line hookup capability, or at least a large glass reservoir 2) integrated conical grinder 3) all stainless/glass internals/zero plastic 4) timer functionality

I want to wake up and get ready finding a perfect pot of coffee on my schedule, with the only manual work being to remove the previous grounds each day and periodic maintenance.

AFAIK no one makes this.

Re: Cooking with black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid

#527

Post by anthomtb »

frmersdog wrote: post #402
potato3732842 wrote: post #363

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The difference between electricity cost per btu and gas cost per btu is the sticking point for the bulk of consumers.

No one ever figures in the cost of medical care from breathing low-grade gas fumes for years. Or the occasional spontaneous house explosion.

> breathing low-grade gas fumes for years

I have been doing most of my cooking on a gas hob for 5 years now. Could you share more detail on this point?

I feel the need to be scared today (it is Halloween after all).

Re: Cooking with black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid

#528

Post by simonsarris »

lucianbr wrote: post #506
simonsarris wrote: post #474

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Haha, well, yes. I actually made all of my wood cooking implements from scratch. I cut down the trees and carved them. eg: https://twitter.com/simonsarris/status/1473049577905401859 I use Tried and True linseed oil or linseed oil + beeswax for my coatings. Occasionally I'll use pure walnut oil. I understand that not everyone likes to make such things! But I don't suspect its hard to find pure wood ones. Lots of peopl…

> It is easier to never have to worry about it if you simply decline to use plastic cooking utensils. > I actually made all of my wood cooking implements from scratch. I cut down the trees and carved them. Is this trolling? "It's easy, simple, just carve your own tools out of trees". Sounds like "just don't be poor" to me.

I'm not trolling, the commenter asked me if I had considered something, and it happens I have actually made them myself. Not because I think its necessary, it certainly isn't, I simply like to make things by hand and use things that I've made.

It is inexpensive to buy unfinished wood utensils, anyone can search for them. And in the context of the problem, silicone is just as well if wood seems too difficult to find.

Re: Cooking with black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid

#529

Post by maxwell »

em-bee wrote: post #446
maxwell wrote: post #422

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's not true at all. Go to any professional kitchen. You'll only see metal on metal.

maybe they have higher quality pans that are less easy to scratch, or they are learning how to use those tools without causing scratches, or they simply replace them more often. in every pot or pan i have ever used, scratches were a problem. and only metal tools could have caused them.

Higher quality and generally made in free countries (https://www.restaurantsupply.com/saute-pans), versus the cheap stuff made in authoritarian countries with questionable coatings/materials that some consumers opt for. Vollrath stuff has always been good in my experience. Preventing sticking and scratching are mostly skill issues, but everybody burns something (during prep) every now and then. I never saw a new pan or a pan thrown away in any kitchen I worked in.

Re: Cooking with black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid

#530

Post by UnFleshedOne »

lucianbr wrote: post #506
simonsarris wrote: post #474

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Haha, well, yes. I actually made all of my wood cooking implements from scratch. I cut down the trees and carved them. eg: https://twitter.com/simonsarris/status/1473049577905401859 I use Tried and True linseed oil or linseed oil + beeswax for my coatings. Occasionally I'll use pure walnut oil. I understand that not everyone likes to make such things! But I don't suspect its hard to find pure wood ones. Lots of peopl…

> It is easier to never have to worry about it if you simply decline to use plastic cooking utensils. > I actually made all of my wood cooking implements from scratch. I cut down the trees and carved them. Is this trolling? "It's easy, simple, just carve your own tools out of trees". Sounds like "just don't be poor" to me.

To be fair, making wood utensils from scratch is multiple orders of magnitude easier than not being poor.
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