subject: Food Safety Problems with Plastic Containers [print this page] Food Safety Problems with Plastic Containers
Food has been stored by people in plastic containers for quite some time. There is now a question of food safety and the usage of plastics to store food. The internet is a useful tool for locating results and information from ongoing studies and research regarding food safety, the prevention of food poisoning from E. coli or salmonella, or to find out about diseases that plastics can cause or exacerbate.
Research has indicated that EDC's, (Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals), are present in plastics. Cancer and disruption to sex hormones can be caused by these chemicals. The recommendation is that food should be stored in containers that are a substance other than plastic so that food cannot be contaminated in this way. It's best to use a glass or stainless steel container to keep phthalates from leaching out and contaminating food.
Most articles on the subject of food safety and using plastic containers will cite people's concerns over having food cooked in microwaves using plastic dishes. Although there are no solid numbers regarding the validity of this fear, many professionals think there is a possibility of a danger. Being mindful of prevention, it's usually recommended that the use of plastic containers in microwave food cooking be avoided, and that should you do so, at the very least refrain from using plastic cling wrap that directly touches the food.
Water that is stored in bottles is an additional food safety problem. Most of the human body consists of water, so to keep in good health you have to replenish it every day by drinking a lot of water. As the number of people who exercise on a regular basis to stay healthy increases, so does the number of people who drink bottled water to rehydrate themselves. Water is a solvent, sometimes referred to as the universal solvent; hence, water in plastic bottles could contain phthalates which have seeped out of the plastic into the water. Individuals either decide to not use bottled water or they just don't pay attention to the warnings, since it's become a handy way to get a drink while you're out and about. The danger increases the longer the water remains in the bottle, as well as with wide variations in temperature.
There are different findings with research in food safety dependent upon who is doing or funding the research. Therefore, a lot of what has come to light is questionable and open to interpretation. Until the research is clearer about the effects of plastic, it's best to stick to glass or steel containers to keep food and by no means put plastic in the microwave.
