Is heating food in the microwave in Styrofoam cups, plates, and other containers safe? And, is microwaving polystyrene products safe in general?
That’s what we’ll be answering today. But before we start, it’s important to clarify one thing:
Styrofoam and expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam are not the same. Styrofoam is an extruded polystyrene foam (XPS), mainly used as a building material for insulation and not for the cups and plates we are discussing here, as these are made of expanded polystyrene foam.
However, since these terms are used interchangeably in the USA and Canada, this article will look at expanded polystyrene foam products and refer to them as “Styrofoam”, even though this is technically incorrect.
It’s recommended that you don’t microwave Styrofoam products unless they are clearly marked as microwave-safe. That’s because polystyrene contains a compound called styrene, which has been linked to cancer in animal and human studies.
There’s a chance this styrene can leach out into the food or drink you are heating up, potentially posing a health risk if consumed. It’s also possible that substances used during the polystyrene manufacturing process may leak into the food.
However, it must be said that polystyrene products labeled as microwave-safe are fine to use. That’s because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates these polystyrene containers and tests their safety for microwave oven use.
So, in summary, it’s best to avoid microwaving polystyrene without microwave-safe labels, as there are some safety concerns. However, you can microwave polystyrene containers if they are labeled microwave-safe.
You can usually find the microwave-safe label on the bottom or sides of a polystyrene container; the symbol is typically a microwave with some wavy lines.
Here are some tips for microwaving food in polystyrene containers safely:
As mentioned, although the risk is low, there are potential health concerns with using non-microwave-safe Styrofoam containers in the microwave. However, there are also environmental concerns since polystyrene is non-biodegradable, pollutes our land and seas, and has a low recycling rate.
For all these reasons, you may wish to opt for an alternative to microwaving in Styrofoam. Here are some to consider:
Polystyrene that’s not labeled microwave-safe isn’t the only thing you should avoid putting in the microwave. For your safety, you should also avoid the following.
Using non-microwave-safe containers in the microwave could lead to melting, the release of harmful chemicals, sparks, or even a fire. This includes plastic containers not labeled microwave-safe, such as old yogurt or margarine tubs.
Metal reflects the microwaves a microwave emits, causing sparks and creating a fire risk. Therefore, you should not put any metal containers, utensils, foil, ceramics with a metallic glaze, or anything else containing metal in the microwave.
While microwave-safe paper is fine to use in the microwave, brown paper bags are not. Due to how they’re made and their physical structure, these bags can easily catch fire and release toxic fumes when microwaved.
Don’t put Styrofoam containers in the microwave unless they are clearly marked with a microwave-safe label since they could leak styrene—a substance that studies show has been linked to cancer—into the food.
You can find the microwave-safe label on the bottom or sides of polystyrene cups, plates, and containers; it usually looks like a microwave with wavy lines inside.
Polystyrene containers with a microwave-safe label should be fine since they’re regulated by the FDA and tested to ensure their safety in microwaves. They don’t pose the same styrene-related risks.
However, if you’re ever unsure whether a Styrofoam container is microwave-safe or not, always err on the side of caution and use a ceramic, glass, or another microwave-safe container instead. Not only are these alternatives often safer, but they’re also reusable and more environmentally friendly.
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