Using plastic food containers: beware of health hazards

Not everyone knows that using poor quality plastic to store food can have a significant impact on human health.

Currently on the market there are many plastic household items containing toxic substances but are very popular with consumers. However, not everyone knows the harmful effects of using poor quality plastic to contain food can have a significant impact on human health.

"Cheap, beautiful and affordable"

Ms. Thanh Phuong, Kim Lien collective housing area (Dong Da - Hanoi) shared that in the current market, plastic items are extremely diverse, rich in design, cheap in price and are very popular with housewives like her. Branded plastic items are often very expensive compared to the "wallet" of people with average income like her.

Therefore, when she needs to buy plastic containers for use, products with relatively cheap prices are her first choice. She uses plastic containers to store food for the whole family and sometimes conveniently just puts the food in the plastic containers and puts it in the microwave to heat up the food.

In Vietnam, at present, plastic products have not been strictly inspected, good or bad, safe or not depends on the manufacturer. The ingredients and recommendations for use are not clearly stated on plastic products. For example, boxes (used to hold lunch boxes) are currently mainly made from poor quality plastic. They can be used to hold food but must be cold food, not hot rice, hot soup like we are still using...

Because the production of plastic food containers in our country is not strictly controlled, most of them are produced by private establishments from recycled plastic on rudimentary equipment that does not meet technical requirements, so they often contain elements that are toxic to the body.

Not everyone knows the harmful effects of using poor quality plastic to store food. Illustration photo

Toxicity of plastic boxes over time

According to Dr. Le Thi Phuong Hue, Thanh Nhan Hospital, after a period of use and cleaning with detergents, plastic boxes often leave scratches or discoloration. This is where bacteria and germs that are harmful to health accumulate, leading to consumers being poisoned or suffering from intestinal diseases...

In addition, plastic boxes made from poor quality plastic also produce toxic BPA (these are substances that can cause a number of dangerous diseases such as diabetes, infertility, obesity, cancer...).

Using plastic containers with accompanying products such as ice cream containers, soft drink containers, processed food containers, etc. still poses a risk of poisoning. Manufacturers have used raw materials and applied technology for single-use plastic, so when reused at different temperatures, it will produce toxins that are harmful to human health.

Notes when using plastic food containers

The Ministry of Health has recommended that people, to ensure their own health and that of their loved ones, should limit the use of plastic items and replace them with ceramic, porcelain, glass, etc. If using plastic items, they should not be used to store hot food because toxic chemicals can seep into food and drinks, causing harm to health.

Do not use styrofoam or plastic boxes to store hot foods or drinks above 100 degrees Celsius, especially hot fried foods with lots of fat; do not use styrofoam boxes to store sour foods or drinks (pickles, salads mixed with vinegar, lemon juice, lemon tea...) or fat or cooking oil; do not use microwaves to heat food in styrofoam or plastic boxes; only use products with clear origin, in compliance with food hygiene and safety; use according to the manufacturer's instructions; use only once, should not be used for a long time.

To ensure safety, you should buy plastic food containers from reputable brands, certified by inspection agencies. We should choose to buy plastic items that are transparent, highly glossy, and have a surface that is not rough or scratched. Such products are often much safer.

You should choose a hard, white, inorganic plastic box because this type of plastic is usually less toxic than organic plastic. To distinguish between these two types of plastic, you can hold it up to the sunlight; organic plastic will still see sunlight, while inorganic plastic does not allow sunlight to pass through.

Hard and white plastic containers are usually safer. The reason is that flexible and brightly colored plastics are often coated with many chemical dyes. Therefore, they can be toxic to us, causing significant health effects and causing dangerous diseases.

According to AloBacsi.vn