In an article published on May 4, 2016 by TIME magazine, journalist Olivia B. Waxman reports on plastic containers labeled “microwave-safe” and the chemicals they might transfer into food. The “microwave-safe” label “means [containers] won’t melt or break when heated—but it doesn’t mean they’re safe,” Waxman states upfront. She highlights endocrine disrupting chemicals bisphenol A (BPA, CAS 80-05-7) and phthalates as food contact substances of concern due to the various adverse health effects these chemicals have been associated with. Experts advise people to microwave food in glass or ceramic, and replace plastic containers labeled “microwave-safe” if they have been scratched or if the color has changed, Waxman writes. In addition, Rolf Halden, director of the Center for Environmental Security at the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, U.S., recommends avoiding plastic wrap to cover food, because the condensation underneath the plastic wrap could contain phthalates and the fluid could drip down into the food. Further, experts advise avoiding plastics with recycling codes 3 (polyvinyl chloride, PVC) or 7 (other plastics such as polycarbonate, PC) for microwaving food, Waxman writes.
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Olivia B. Waxman (May 4, 2016). “That plastic container you microwave in could be super-toxic.” Time
