does microwaving plastic create carcinogens?

Discussion in 'Chemistry' started by codanblad, Jul 1, 2008.

  1. codanblad a love of bridges Registered Senior Member

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    heard putting plastic in the microwave contaminates the food or something. is this just an old wives tale? hope this is the right place to put this thread
     
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  3. Asguard Kiss my dark side Valued Senior Member

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    it depends what plastic your talking about. For instance glad wrap has to be microwave safe as does any container which says "microwave safe"

    Almost anything which is food safe can go in a microwave (well as long as its not metal anyway) but if your worried go down to Big W and buy some microwave safe containers
     
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  5. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

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    I'm going to say yes.
     
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  7. Fraggle Rocker Staff Member

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    Metal won't hurt the microwave--that's an old wives' tale. It's just going to get very hot and it might burn your little fingies.
    They have warned us in the USA not to re-use plastic bottles from soda, water and other beverages. They are Recycling Number 1 and 2. They say the plastic will leach out into the liquid once it's been exposed to air on the inside. I would imagine that heating it would accelerate that process so you wouldn't want to put a number 1 or 2 in the microwave. They're too flimsy anyway: the #1's will melt so you could have a spill in your oven, and the #2's will distort so it will be awkward to serve the food.

    I don't know about #3's and #4s. The cheap reusable plastic containers I've got by Glad and Ziploc are #5. The good stuff that will last a long time is up at the top end, #7.
     
  8. John99 Banned Banned

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    Except for the sparks.:shrug:
     
  9. Roman Banned Banned

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    Metal definitely fucks with microwaves. I speak from personal experience. Try putting a CD in a microwave. It's pretty.

    Plastic will leach into your food when you microwave stuff in it. It's caused by the heat- leaching would also occur if you raised its temp. to boiling by another method. Most plastics end up being carcinogenic when they change shape from heat and form rings or whatever, since they're no longer in the food safe form. Depending on the plastic you microwave in, you can actually taste it in the food. Try microwaving something with the plastic wrap on it, for instance.
     
  10. Asguard Kiss my dark side Valued Senior Member

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    yes FR your wrong there. Alminum foil if covering less than 10% of the food is safe to protect food you dont want to heat. however a metal bowl, even a spoon left in will blow up a microwave

    I know I DID IT by acident a few years ago
     
  11. OilIsMastery Banned Banned

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    Carcinogens is a nebulous term and the cause of cancer is unknown. Microwaves don't cause cancer as far as anyone knows. If they did, Hitlery and Osama would sue every corporation in America.

    http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=8774

    P.S. This has less than zero to do with chemistry.
     
    Last edited: Jul 7, 2008
  12. draqon Banned Banned

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    yes it does!
     
  13. Roman Banned Banned

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    ... I know I'm not supposed to feed trolls, but yeah, much of what causes cancer IS known. A carcinogen is simply a substance that induces or increases likelihood of cancer.

    By microwaving your food in plastic, you increase the risk of ingesting carcinogens due to carbon compounds (the plastic) changing shape and becoming dangerous. You can also get cancer from BBQd meat, or at least, carcinogens.
     
  14. Foxus Guest

    I think the fine companies that make products that specifically make plastics to cook food in have come up with a way to stop carcinogens from being discharged into your food... at least we should all hope!
     
  15. OilIsMastery Banned Banned

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    Absolutely ridiculous. There is nothing you can do to plastic with microwaves to make plastic cause cancer.

    How do you know that? How do you explain the fact that millions of people bbq meat their whole lives and never get cancer?
     
  16. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    That's actually true, he is referring to the charred bits.
     
  17. OilIsMastery Banned Banned

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    How do you explain the fact that millions of people bbq meat their whole lives and never get cancer?
     
  18. draqon Banned Banned

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    facts please...on these millions of people who bbq and never get cancer...becayse I feel like you are assuming here way too much. In addition to the logic that people who bbq stuff probably have other health problems like cholesterol issues and die of heart diseases before they get to cancer part.

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

     
  19. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    People that eat charred meat have a higher chance of developing bowel cancer.
     
  20. OilIsMastery Banned Banned

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    I'm looking forward to my next bbq. I consider the cancer risk to be less than zero. I don't know of a single person who's developed cancer from bbqing and neither do you.
     
  21. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    Oh so knowledge is only valid when experienced first hand ?
     
  22. OilIsMastery Banned Banned

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    It doesn't have to be first hand. But it does have to be experienced. If not experenced it falls into the metaphysical realm of a priori theories.
     
  23. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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