Is it safe to microwave in plastic containers?
When heating up food in the microwave, many people consider it good practice to transfer from a plastic container to a glass or ceramic dish. Why? Because we know that both of those options are always safe from BPA.
If you’re a little confused about what people are worried about, you’re not alone. Although people are aware of BPA, and that they should probably avoid using plastics containing it, few know exactly what it is. Bisephenol (BPA) is a “plasticiser” (a substance added to a material to make it flexible, resilient and easier to handle) used to make hard, clear plastics. In 2012, the US FDA banned the use of BPA in baby bottles and drinking cups, but allows for a low level of exposure in adults.
So why are people worried about BPA? The theory is that it can leech into foods when the plastic is heated up in a microwave, although studies on how true this is have proved inconclusive. Food safety authorities around the world have their own stance on the presence of BPA, but most agree that humans’ exposure to the chemical should be limited.
The potentially negative effects of BPA exposure have tended to focus on pregnant women and young children, with fears of reproductive disorders, and lung problems in children. One study indicated that low-level doses of BPA exposure in children resulted in a greater risk for them to develop asthma later in life. Higher risk of breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men has also been linked to low doses of BPA.
So with that in mind, is it safe to be heating your plastic containers in the microwave? The best answer is that you should look at the container itself. If the container is listed as “microwave safe” or includes a microwave icon on it, you should be fine. Pre-packaged snacks or meals that direct you to heat using the microwave are also safe. But it is important to note that a container may still contain BPA even if it is listed as “microwave safe”, and containers advertised as BPA-free may not be safe to use in the microwave.
If you’re feeling uneasy about plastics altogether, however, stick with glass and ceramics.
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