How to choose a safe plastic food container?

There are many products on the market that are advertised as food containers that can be used in the microwave. However, according to experts, for microwave ovens, it is best to use glass, crockery, and porcelain dishes to heat or defrost food.

There are many products on the market that are advertised as food containers that can be used in the microwave. However, according to experts, it is best to choose to buy plastic items that have clarity, bright colors, and product surfaces that are not rough, scratched, etc. As for the microwave oven, it is best to use glass dishes. glass, crockery, and porcelain to reheat or defrost food.

Any kind is available

At supermarket chains such as Co-opmax, BigC… in Ho Chi Minh City, buyers are free to choose plastic food containers from the disposable type and then remove the advertisement as raw materials from 100% PP, standard grade. The US FDA uses it in an environment from -10oC to +120oC, keeps fruit fresh for 7 days… and the selling price is just over 30,000 VND/10 boxes, the highest is 60,000 VND/box like Microban 2700ml box, imported goods in Vietnam. Thailand.

In addition, there are also Ag + antibacterial plastic boxes, plastic boxes made from PP plastic materials combined with microban antibacterial agents that have the effect of disrupting the cell structure of bacteria, making bacteria unable to grow..

The majority of plastic food containers sold in temporary markets and sidewalks are often unlabelled and the price is also many times cheaper. Many types of boxes are said by the owner to be bought from Cho Lon and collectively known as “normal plastic”, priced at only 1,500 – 6,000 VND/box with lid, can contain salt, monosodium glutamate and also use pickle salt, coffee …

Ms. Nguyen Mong Hieu, who lives in Phu Nhuan district, Ho Chi Minh City, uses plastic containers to store food in the freezer, in the cooler, and even for ready-to-eat fruit after a meal, just bring it out for dessert. She uses the thin type to store in the freezer, if it’s broken or damaged, it’s removed, and if it’s thick or branded on the market, it’s stored in the fridge, storing food right away.

It is difficult to avoid poisoning when used at high temperatures

According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ho Son Lam, a senior researcher at the Institute of Applied Materials Science, Ho Chi Minh City, when used to make packaging and containers at high temperatures (holding water, milk, hot food), the ability of Additives in the plastic will stop being absorbed into the food. There is plastic that can withstand high temperatures from 150-200oC, but it is necessary to know its exact origin and quality. Because plastic that withstands high temperatures, manufacturers will have to mix a few more additives, so in the long run, the possibility of poisoning is inevitable.

Dr. Dang Chi Hien, head of the Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Chemical Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology, said that PP (PolyPropylene) plastic is non-toxic with flexible features suitable for manufacturing food containers. But if PP is recycled from garbage, it is imperative to use additives for plastic materials to shape the new shape. These additives, when exposed to hot food from 70 to 80oC, will create toxic substances that are very dangerous to human health.

There are products on the market that are introduced as heat-resistant plastic, which can be used to store food cooked in the microwave. This type of plastic does not catch the microwave waves (so it does not melt when cooking), but the food inside catches this wave, heats up and cooks. The temperature of the food will affect the plastic product, causing the plastic structure to change and as a result, the poison can be released into the food.

Choose safe products

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Cuu Khoa, director of the Institute of Chemical Technology, warned that consumers still carelessly use plastic bags and boxes to store rice, soup and hot foods. They may contain a very toxic substance that affects the male sex organs, which is DOP (dioctin phthalate). DOP exists at a rate of 5-10% in the plasticizers used. It acts like a female hormone, so it is very harmful to men and boys when the sexual organs are not yet complete. It is best to choose to buy plastic products with high transparency, high gloss, bright colors, and the product’s surface is not rough or scratched.

Dr. Dang Chi Hien affirmed that the “microwave-safe” and “microwavable” symbol or label on plastic containers only means that they will not melt, crack or separate when spin in the microwave. It is best to use glass, crockery, or porcelain dishes to reheat or defrost food in the microwave.