Styrofoam containers are made of PS plastic, and when used to hold hot food, they release the toxic substance monostyrene, which can damage the liver and cause various other diseases. Do not use a microwave to heat food stored in styrofoam containers.

This is a food safety guideline for using styrofoam containers to store and preserve food, recently published by the Food Safety Department (Ministry of Health). According to the guideline, styrofoam containers are widely used worldwide, but improper use can release toxins that negatively impact health.

People should not use styrofoam containers to hold hot food, greasy food, pickled vegetables, etc. Photo: Thien Chuong.

Styrofoam boxes are made from polystyrene (PS), with air making up 95% and PS 5%, making them very lightweight and suitable for storing and preserving food.

According to Dr. Lam Quoc Hung from the Food Safety Department (Ministry of Health), styrofoam containers pose a health risk to users due to lead and cadmium contamination if the raw materials are impure and leach styrene and ethylbenzene. Therefore, to ensure safety, people should only use containers with clear origins and that comply with food safety regulations as recommended by the manufacturer. Containers made from PS plastic should only be used to store and preserve food at temperatures below 70 degrees Celsius.

Do not use styrofoam containers to store or preserve food for extended periods; they should only be used once. Do not use styrofoam containers for hot food or drinks, fatty foods, boiling water, or acidic foods (pickled vegetables, salad dressings, lemonade, lemon tea, etc.). Do not use a microwave to heat food stored in styrofoam containers.

In principle, plastic containers are only intended for storing cold food; however, many Vietnamese people use them for hot food, which is strictly forbidden. When storing hot food, the amount of monostyrene (a toxic substance) released from PS plastic increases, causing damage to the liver and other diseases. Not only at high temperatures, but this type of plastic also releases toxins harmful to humans when it comes into contact with oil, grease, salt, acids, etc.

In 2010, authorities launched a large-scale campaign to inspect the quality of styrofoam containers on the market. Test results showed that several samples of styrofoam containers on the market at that time had polystyrene leaching levels 8,000-10,000 times below the permissible limit.

According to VnExpress - LY