Food containers. Food grade plastic: benefit or harm?

Our life is unthinkable without food grade plastic. Many summer cafes and fast food restaurants use plastic dishes. Almost all soft drinks and bottled water are packaged in plastic containers. In all stores, convenience foods are also sold in plastic bags, trays and containers. Is all this plastic splendor so safe? It can be assumed that if plastic is so popular for packaging food and drinks, then it is quite safe, and there is nothing to worry about. This is true to some extent if the conditions of its operation are observed. Plastic dishes, bottles and packaging materials are made from various polymers. The most popular of them are polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, polycarbonate. These substances are safe and do not enter food themselves. But in some cases, plastic products begin to release toxins, which, once in the human body, can harm his health. Under what conditions can this happen?

If the food is stored in the refrigerator for a long time, or some lazy person tries to reheat food in the plastic container in which it was sold in the store. Don't smile, there are such sloths among people. Almost all polymers "age" over time. As a result of this process, products of their decay begin to be released from plastic products. It is worth noting that different types of plastic products become toxic under different operating conditions: some cannot be washed, others cannot be heated, for example. If the conditions for using plastic products are violated, then they become hazardous to health. Pay attention to the marking Plastic products used to store food and beverages bear special markings that are accepted in almost all countries of the world. It is a triangle made of three arrows. In the middle of the sign there is a number from 1 to 7, below - the letter code of the plastic. I propose to take a closer look at the labeling, because it can tell you something about the type of plastic that is used to package a particular product.

The number 1 and the letter code PETE indicate that the plastic container is made of polyethylene terephthalate. It is the most common food grade plastic. Bottles, cans, various packaging containers, disposable cups are made from it. It is used to store water, juices and various soft drinks. PETE is often used for packaging bulk food products. The number 2 and the HDPE code indicate that the packaging is made of high density polyethylene. It is used to make bags for dairy products, bottles for shampoos, detergents and various types of bleach.

Number 3 and PVC code how on https://storageboxreviews.com/ are assigned to polyvinyl chloride (PVC). It is used for the packaging of edible fats, bulk products, glass and mirror cleaning liquids. It should be noted that the same plastic is used to make plastic pipes, flooring, stretch ceilings, toys, bathroom curtains, plastic windows, garden furniture, etc. We live in the kingdom of polyvinyl chloride and sometimes we don't think about it. But it should be: PVC is one of the most dangerous type of plastics. It is practically impossible to dispose of.

When burned, PVC releases dangerous dioxins that can cause cancer. I do not advise you to destroy plastic containers in your country house, if you do not want to poison yourself and your neighbors. The number 4 and the LDPE code under these symbols is low pressure polyethylene. It is used to make plastic bags and soft plastic packaging. This material can be recycled and reused. It is the safest plastic for food packaging. The number 5 and the PP code are polypropylene. This material is used to make caps for bottles, cups for sour cream and yoghurt, bottles for syrups, ketchup, mustard, baby food bottles. Toys are made of polypropylene.

This plastic is safe for humans. Its only drawback is that it becomes brittle and breaks down at low temperatures. Digit 6 and code PS are for polystyrene. Trays for poultry and meat products are made from it, disposable plates and glasses are produced. This plastic is not recyclable, like PVC, it can form carcinogens when heated. The number 7 and the OTHER code contain a mixture of different polymers.