this post was submitted on 24 Sep 2023
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Experts say even if it claims to be “microwave-safe.”

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[–] fiat_lux@kbin.social 152 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (7 children)

I'm not sure food blogs are the best choice for this. The article goes on to talk about BPA and phthlates, but neither of those exist in pure HDPE or PP.

BPA is found in polycarbonate plastics (~~acrylic~~) (Edit: brain lapse, acrylic is PMMA) and epoxy resins. Phthalates are in PVC (vinyl). Using the word 'plastic' as a ~~monomer~~ mononym (Edit: lol wrong mono) is dangerous for many reasons, and causation vs correlation is one reason why.

I mean, definitely go with glass if you have the choice, sure, but let's also actually try to be accurate if we invoke the scientific method.

I would also love for there to be really robust testing of food containers of all varieties direct at the manufacturers, with heavy fines involved if they're using additives but claiming it's a food-safe plastic.

[–] tavu@sopuli.xyz 12 points 2 years ago (1 children)

BPA is found in polycarbonate plastics (acrylic) [...]

Polycarbonate (BPA monomer) is a very different polymer to acrylic/PMMA (methyl methacrylate monomer).

[–] fiat_lux@kbin.social 16 points 2 years ago

Oops, my mistake. I've been looking at too many acrylics and polycarbonates for use in a non-food setting. Thanks for the correction!

[–] cyberic@discuss.tchncs.de 10 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Love all the edits. Thanks for the informative comment.

[–] fiat_lux@kbin.social 5 points 2 years ago

I try to keep it honest and accurate, I would hate to spread more misinformation accidentally. If only my long-covid memory were a little more cooperative!

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[–] Chickenstalker@lemmy.world 36 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Here's the thing. If the plastic is not microwave safe, then it is not any-sort-of-heat safe. The microwave is simply a heating device. The method is different but at the end of day, it vibrates molecules to heat em up.

[–] GenderNeutralBro@lemmy.sdf.org 13 points 2 years ago (4 children)

Most people wouldn't put plastic on a stovetop or in an oven to begin with. Where else is plastic typically heated with food in it?

[–] SendMePhotos@lemmy.world 13 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Most fast food restaurants and food processing plants. Hot dogs in the plastic casing as they are heated in the factory. Fast food (taco places have meat bags that they heat up before cutting open for use).

[–] psmgx@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

Plenty of sit down restaurants too. Your side of veggies or mash potatoes came in a plastic container with butter and salt added, and is then microwaved. Nicer places will often finish some of those sides on a grill or stovetop, but you already got plastic'd

[–] Flambo@lemmy.world 7 points 2 years ago

Maybe in a sous vide? But a separate issue will be already-quite-hot food being put into plastic. Think they let your takeout noodles/soup cool before putting it in a plastic container?

[–] Ddhuud@lemmy.world 7 points 2 years ago

When you put hot food in it.

[–] bassomitron@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Baby bottles. We use a bottle warmer that heats the bottle with steam, but yeah, I'd say breast milk/formula counts. That being said, I don't think I've ever seen bottles not rated as being safe for bottle warmers? And you'd never put a bottle in a microwave (process is too harsh on breast milk and consequently ruins much of its nutritional value, not sure about formula).

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[–] Wahots@pawb.social 25 points 2 years ago (3 children)

I've switched to mostly glass, metal, and wood kitchenware, but even those have plastic lids. I try to get paper milk jugs, which I thought were lined with wax, but apparently are plastic? It's almost impossible to get away from this shit.

[–] WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.world 20 points 2 years ago (1 children)

If it makes you feel any better the milk, and all the foods you eat, already contain micro-plastics 👍

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[–] dustyData@lemmy.world 16 points 2 years ago

Paper stuff that is meant to hold liquids will always be just a plastic bag with carton structure. Wax would be fine if you were filling and storing the liquid in your own home. But wax lined paper would never survive the shortest of transportation. Completely non-feasible for industrial scale agriculture. Soft drinks in cans also have plastic linings, metals are more resistant but would also eventually corrode in the midterm.

[–] Wooshock@lemmy.world 21 points 2 years ago (2 children)

I never put this kind of plastic on the microwave. But I also worry about paper plates, which have some kind of polyethylene coating that is really really hard to find any info about online. Ive fucking eaten cheese that has been boiled on a "paper" plate, only to find that those plates were coated in some kind of polymer.

By the way, the insides of aluminum cans are coated in plastic.

Sweet dreams!

[–] Coreidan@lemmy.world 12 points 2 years ago (2 children)

There is plastic in everything you consume now. You can’t get away from it unless you retreat to the wilderness.

[–] agent_flounder@lemmy.one 25 points 2 years ago

Uh, they found a plastic bag in the Mariana Trench. No place is free of it, anymore.

[–] Jimbo@yiffit.net 11 points 2 years ago

Nope, plastic there as well

[–] Seudo@lemmy.world 21 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Why? Like, is this equivilant to 'smoking cigarettes will kill you?' Or more, 'going within ten metres of a running automobile will kill you?' Because stress and anxiety will kill you dead too. So...

[–] zik@lemmy.world 7 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

I suspect the next generation will be horrified that people ever cooked in plastic. Or ate or drank out of plastic. They'll think of it the same way we think of lead pipes now.

The evidence of terrible health effects of plastic seems to be adding up very fast. Pthalates, PFAS, and microplastics all seem to be implicated in the increasing rates of ill health, cancer and cardiovascular disease.

[–] Gingerlegs@lemmy.world 14 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

I’d like to know if sous vide is safe though, please? I’ve been doing that for years…

[–] eee@lemm.ee 15 points 2 years ago (4 children)

This article focuses on microwaving, but the news about sous vide isn't great:

"This study proved that the sous vide method causes polymer degradation at high temperatures and longer time periods": https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36398752/

[–] WHYAREWEALLCAPS@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago

While I cannot read the article, the abstract does not describe an issue of microplastics transferring from the sous vide container to the fish, rather the effect of the high temps over longer time on the microplastics already present in the fish.

[–] TheTurducken@mander.xyz 5 points 2 years ago

Don't eat at Olive Garden or really any fast casual. They all hold items in plastic in hot water.

[–] Gingerlegs@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

I expected this and I’m still mad

Edit: SOMEONE TELL GUGA

[–] MalReynolds@slrpnk.net 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Get thee some silicone bags, completely reusable and plastic free.

[–] Gingerlegs@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago

Wasn’t aware of this, thanks

[–] PatFussy@lemm.ee 12 points 2 years ago (1 children)

But all my foods have microplastics in it

[–] MoxFcCloud@kbin.social 16 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Can't wait for the "low microplastics" stamp on all my food in a couple years

[–] AceBonobo@lemmy.world 8 points 2 years ago

"Less than lethal" amount

[–] robocall@lemmy.world 8 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I just bought some new plastic food storage containers that I like.

[–] instamat@lemmy.world 10 points 2 years ago

Be sure to microwave everything you eat in it, according to the article. (I may have misunderstood the point of the article)

[–] TheObserver@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I use plastic bowls in microwaves all the time. In fact every single day. At this rate I'm going to turn into a auton from doctor who 🤣.

Sorry but pizza rolls in a microwave are just too damn good! Fuck the oven!

[–] Backspacecentury@kbin.social 15 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Are you insane? Pizza rolls are a million times better out of the oven. No contest.

[–] eatmoregreenfood@kbin.social 13 points 2 years ago (2 children)
[–] BaroqueInMind@kbin.social 13 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

Which is actually just a fucking small convection oven.

[–] Player2@sopuli.xyz 5 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Yes, a smaller, more efficient, and faster one.

[–] BaroqueInMind@kbin.social 2 points 2 years ago

Correct. They are amazing.

[–] instamat@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

What’s your point? It’s still not a microwave.

[–] instamat@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

This guy pizza rolls. Quick, what’s the best brand?

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