Medical Questions » Other Problems Questions » Question No. 1396
| Question: | Is it a bad idea to use plastic dishes when heating things up in the microwave? |
| Answer: | We are surrounded by plastic, and it' s almost impossible to buy foods that aren' t wrapped in the stuff. But the effects this can have on our health remain largely unknown. Certain chemicals are added to plastics during their manufacture to make them more stable, more pliable or less breakable, such as nonylphenol and bisphenol-A. These chemicals are similar in structure to the hormone oestrogen, and have been found both to leach out of the plastics into foods and liquids they come into contact with, and cause hormone disruption in animals and humans due to their oestrogen-mimicking action. This phenomenon is thought to have contributed to observed reproductive problems in humans and wild animals.
The plastics industry is moving away from using proven hormone-disrupting chemicals, but I' d still recommend using glass or ceramic containers rather than plastic when heating foods in a microwave. (I' d also recommend not using a microwave - see ' What' s your view on microwaving foods?' , page 309.) Oils/fats and plastics are generally not a good combination in any circumstance, being chemically similar and conducive to the transfer of chemicals from one to another. Heating increases the rate of any chemical reaction, and may make it more likely that hormone-disrupting chemicals are leached into your food. These concerns may not apply to all plastics - manufacturers are developing safer, more inert types all the time. In the meantime, it' s probably best to err on the side of caution, and minimize your exposure to plastics as much as possible. |
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