- Babyfood containers are NSF plastic meant to be microwavable
- They only tested babyfood containers and a pouch
- these containers are made out of the same plastics used in many microwaveable products
I'm not microwaving plastic ever again.
this post was submitted on 20 Jul 2023
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For real, this is sobering information. I already try to avoid microwaving plastics, but I'm gonna be even more careful now, and try to spread this study. Billions of nanoplastics per square centimeter, it's scary to think about the size of containers, number that would likely be used in a day, and the fact that infants are so small with that information in context.
My kids are past baby stage. But I’m borderline ready to go to glass/ceramic and stainless only
Unfortunately my wife really likes nonstick too. I do make a habit of ditching any pan or pot with any blemish/chip. But still I’d prefer stainless there too.
Get a seasoned carbon steel or cast iron. They work nearly as well as non sticks I’ve used
Yes, indeed. Cast iron is remarkably good for cooking - anything that sticks scrapes off easily enough. Keep it well oiled and out of the water.
note that 'ceramic' water bottles (lining - frank green) - and "ceramic" sauce-pans and cook-ware are not made of clay - they're made of a bunch of chemicals, teflon has some health concerns, but a bunch of research has gone into it, not so much into 'ceramic' products clay ceramic is not naturally non-stick , hence the other chemicals used
bunch of notes on ceramic:
spoiler
How ceramic coated cookware is made
A ceramic coated pan is essentially any metal pan that has a thin ceramic layer on top. The metal core or “substrate” of the pan varies. Some companies use anodized aluminum, an inexpensive metal and good conductor of heat; other brands use cast iron or stainless steel. Whatever the case, all ceramic coated cookware use some type of metal as a base.
Most ceramic coatings are actually “Sol-gel” coatings consisting of silica (sand) and other inorganic chemicals. This is the preferred method of applying ceramic coatings to cookware to make them less- or non-stick. Sol-gel is typically sprayed onto the metal substrate and then fired at a very high temperature. Depending on the manufacturer, this curing process can range between 400 and 800 degrees fahrenheit. While Sol-gel coatings are technically harder and able to withstand higher temperatures than PTFE coatings, most companies advise their customers not to heat ceramic coated pans above 500 degrees, otherwise the ceramic coating could decompose. When this happens, the ceramic pan can lose its nonstick properties and the surface will become coarse or gritty. These pans are not usually recommended to use in the dishwasher or under the broiler.
Are ceramic coatings nonstick?
Ceramic is not naturally nonstick. This is why most companies use Sol-gel technology to create a ceramic nonstick coating. But the idea of ceramic nonstick cookware is kind of a misnomer. First, as we learned above, the slick surface on ceramic coated pans usually degrades over time; and this process can be accelerated if the pans are exposed to high heat on a regular basis. Some experts have suggested that ceramic coatings have about one sixth of the lifespan as their PTFE counterparts. The question you should really be asking is, for how long are ceramic coatings nonstick? A well maintained ceramic coated pan is expected to hold up for 1-2 years - that is not very long, especially considering the high price of some of these pans.
Is ceramic nonstick cookware safer than other nonstick cookware?
Because of all the controversy and speculation surrounding fluoropolymers and PTFE coatings, it is no surprise that there’s an abundance of scientific research on these chemicals. Unfortunately there is not a lot of historical research on Sol-gel and its effects on human health. That is not to say that one is safer than the other. However, purchasing your cookware from a reputable company can help limit your risk of direct food contamination. As the old saying goes, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Yep, this is on my to-do list. Already moved to Pyrex for re-usable containers and glass wear. We need new pans and I am going back to cast iron.
You mean PYREX all caps Pyrex is a cheap shit glass that'll explode on you. Always capitalize for that good glass.
Ok lol
I'm aware
Chipping isn't that big a deal with nonstick. Overheating is the real danger. You should never let it it 500F. Also, once it starts to become discolored it should be disposed of.
Does she not care for ceramic coated pans? They work just as well, are more durable and are easier to maintain than nonstick. What's not to love? Honestly, I haven't even used stainless since getting a good set of ceramic cookware, I get a great sear and deglaze a pan just fine with ceramic
We committed to switching to stainless with an investment in a Saladmaster set. While the value of the brand is debatable the pans have been rock solid and easy to clean. It did take a bit to learn how to cook with them without sticking everything to them but it is doable. About the only thing I can't cook in them is eggs.
I’ve become increasingly weary about any heated foods in contact with plastic.
Near boiling hot soup from Chinese take-out poured into shitty plastic containers. Hard pass.
Also going to someone’s house and seeing they use those crock-pot plastic liner bags: 🤢
I also feel really bad about all the plastic dishes we have for our kids (we don’t microwave them). We’re actually going spend the coin on some stainless steel right now, thanks Lemmy!
Do yourself a favor and get some ceramic stuff as well to replace your nonstick. Works just as well, lasts longer and is easier to maintain. You won't have to worry about microplastics with it either
Omg u unlocked a core memory from me where my soup tasted bad and I noticed a lot of warping on the container and threw it out 🤢
Arrogant fucking humans. This story plays out every time. And they want to blot out the sun to control climate change... We deserve everything we get for our hubris. I can't wait for humanity to collapse we are a scourge
While I agree that humans are often arrogant this is rather negative and not a great start for any kind of discussion
Indeed. I'm often overwhelmed by my feelings of fear and anger. Reading this gave me such a sense of futility, like wow I must be destined to die a slow and painful death of cancer, if poverty or civil uprising doesn't get me first. Discussion seems silly at this point. Capitalism has sealed our fate, there's little we can do to protect ourselves and our loved ones in this environment. Everyone should be just as angry. To not be this angry one must be dissociating... Which is what I'll go back to now until the next article wakes up my fear and anger again.
Our fate is never sealed. Undirected anger is as useless as apathy. Have hope, and work towards that hope.
Easy to say, harder to do
I mean, that's up to you. But I guarantee you will both feel better and maybe help save the world if you try doing something beyond getting angry and then disassociating.
Consider the fact that headlines that instill fear and doom work against us. What use is trying if it's all fucked anyway? The thing is it isn't over until it's over. I can't make you have hope, but hopefully you can come to realize that hope does a lot more for us than giving up. If you can envision a better future, you can work towards it! You can help advocate in your local Citizen's Climate Lobby chapter, develop a good garden for local wildlife and pollinators, or even just helping others be aware of the issue can help. There's no one coming to save us, so it's up to us to save ourselves.
Or you can just get angry and do nothing.
I understand the anxiety. I was frozen from it for a long time. But what helped more than anything else was simply going outside and tending a garden. Find a love for the life on this planet, and try to protect it. There's so much worth fighting for.
I appreciate the pep talk. I'm an engineer in water resources and do my best to help where I can. Sometimes I have outbursts on the Internet and sometimes I fall into frighteningly deep depression. I removed my ability to have children in my terror of bringing life into a the world so dark. So it's not one or the other -be angry and do nothing or have hope and work towards a better future. I'm very angry and very frightened and very jaded... And I'm doing what I can to hopefully prove myself wrong. I would very much like to be wrong. I don't have much hope most days and do believe the planet would be much better off of humans were at least much reduced in number. But I have loved ones and empathy for strangers, as well as a sense of self preservation so I don't relish the thought of suffering. Things can be more than one thing at the same time. I'm not sure how to develop hope, and I'm not sure how people like yourself still carry any, but I have the kind of steadfast resolve to help my fellow humans reduce their suffering at the end. There's a great deal of good that humans can do as well, art, music, stories, love. Those are the threads that keep me bobbing close to the surface. But yeah, I avoid the news almost entirely except for a few trusted sources and what I can't help but run across on Lemmy, etc. I'm too sensitive clearly
I'm glad you're doing something, despite the pain you're in. I simply want bring your attention to the fact that the doom and gloom attitude is harmful for the fight. In fact, many consider the onslaught of apocalyptic headlines and the new industry of climate fear to be a new tactic to get people to do nothing. Michael E. Mann, famous climatologist, has talked about this problem as well.
I understand the intention behind when people say that "the doom and glom attitude is harmful to the fight". I've heard it many times. But it's kind of like telling a depressed person to just be happy. It's like, oh wow never considered that k thanks I'm cured now /s. It's just like hey fuck you for being depressed you're killing the planet - it doesn't do a while lot to help. I think you're right of course. I still don't know how to stop being overwhelmed and depressed by it all.
Rather negative lol
Agent Smith has entered the chat
It is mostly a small subset of humanity, the ultra-wealthy, powerful individuals, that fuck everything for everyone, I like to think that most of humanity are good people.
Yeah maybe
On a similar note, many coffee brewing devices are made out of plastic. I bought a ceramic hario v60 for that exact reason, despite all sources claiming that plastic is safe and brews better. The aeropress is a different question. It's made of polypropylene and just now they made a glass version (which knowing me, I would break it within a week). I rarely brew in it partly because of it being plastic but brewing temperatures are between 80 and 92°C. Should I be worried?
Good question, everytime I use aeropress I think about plastic it's made of.
It's a little disappointing that they didn't do any testing of microplastic levels at different cook times. Instructions on the small baby food containers used in this study say to microwave for 20 seconds, and in my experience even going for 30 seconds makes the food uncomfortably hot. Id imagine that 3 full minutes boils the food and possibly melts the containers (and baby pouches are even smaller than the containers I'm referring to). The obvious testing procedure would be to use the containers as they are intended, so I'm a little suspicious why they chose such an arbitrarily long cook time
I totally agree. suspicious about their findings. They filled reusable pouches with milk and blasted it for 3 minutes. We've been feeding our toddler little spoons meals https://www.littlespoon.com/ which has a 30s to 60s microwave time to warm it. I really doubt solid food is absorbing billions of microplastics in 30s.
My mom has always been paranoid about plastic containers. Good to see she was right
How is it that we've had microwaves for decades but no one checked this before?
Its not the microwave, its the plastic container.
How is it that we've been using microwaves with plastic containers inside them for decades and yet no one has checked this before?
It's only this particular kind of plastic in its specific state with respect to the liquid placed inside of it, also the fact that the worry of micro/nano-plastics is relatively new.
specific state
California?
with respect to the liquid placed inside of it
first someone has to have the idea, then someone has to pay for it.
availability of some equipment may also present issues.
Yep, I decided to buy some small glass cooking pots for my microwave.
I'm glad in my family we always were careful with plastic. Sole months ago our microwave stopped functioning and we bought an electric oven, so now plastic containers and plates aren't even an option to heat our food. :D
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