Safe Food Storage: Materials Matter
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There are a ton of new food storage materials now on the market and if you have a family and have read recent guidelines issued from the American Academy of Pediatrics then you're probably aware that heating up plastic food containers, whether they contain solid or liquid foods, is highly discouraged for infants and children-- and also, adults.
The reason for this is because heating up foods in plastic (either in the microwave and dishwasher) leaches chemicals (including BPAs) into the foods that contain them. Some research suggests a link between ingesting these chemicals and metabolic disorders, including obesity, thyroid disease; ADHD and also cancer.
We recommend that you consider how a food will be consumed before selecting the proper storage container.
Tips:
- Keep oily liquid foods out of plastic containers. Some chemicals in plastics are fat soluble & more likely to leach into them. Use glass instead.
- Hand wash and sanitize plastic storage containers that will not be used to reheat foods (for example, containers you may use to store dry, uncooked grains such as rice, oats, flour or pasta). Check the number on the bottom of the container. Opt to select items with a number 1, 2, or 5 which indicates that it can typically be picked up as residential recycling and won't end up in a landfill when you're ready to part ways with it.
- Use glass containers when storing fish, chicken, beef or soups & sauces that will be reheated in the microwave.
- Consider using silicone for infant, toddler and child feeding. Silicone is durable yet smooth (derived from sand). It is odorless, hypoallergenic, has a smooth texture (which translates to easier cleaning and sanitation), is lightweight and can withstand freezing and heating.
References:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/is-plastic-a-threat-to-your-health
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110516181337.htm
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