In the last one year, I have seen microwave ovens in almost every kitchen I entered. Many students even have microwaves in their apartments in schools. These tell us that microwave ovens are more common than ever in many every part of the world.
There have been many questions regarding the safety of microwaved foods itself. Many people are still skeptical when it comes to microwaved foods — they feel since the process involves radiation instead of fire to heat food, it is probably not safe. We have discussed that in this article. You can still access it here.
Doing a quick Google search for the “safety of microwaved foods” will bring up several articles telling you that microwaved food is not safe. Part of the things that make some microwaved foods unsafe is the container in which we microwave the foods. Some containers are not safe for microwaving foods because they leave some dangerous and toxic materials in the food after completing the heating in your microwave oven.
Microwaving Food in Plastic: Dangerous or not?
Many people microwave foods in plastics more than any other material.
We often by foods from eateries in plastic packs to microwave and eat at home.
Is this safe or dangerous?
Find out!
When you microwave foods in plastic containers or plastic wraps, dioxins, which are cancer-causing chemicals are released into foods. These materials are not present in plastics but are formed when, plastics, metals, wood, and other materials are burned.
Bisphenol-A (BPA), added to make clear, hard plastic and phthalates, added to make plastic soft and flexible are some of the compounds that are released into our foods when we microwave inside plastic containers and wraps.
So, are there any plastics that are safe for microwaving? What are the best materials to microwave your food in?
What materials should you microwave your food in?
If you want to microwave your foods in plastic materials, you should check for this “microwave safe” sign or plastic containers labeled for use in microwave ovens. Below is the image that indicates that a plastic is safe for microwaving.
If you still have concerns about plastic wraps or containers and want to avoid their use in the microwave, transfer your foods to glass or ceramic containers labeled for use in microwave ovens. They are the safest of all.
