I get in heated arguments when people especially in take out places attempt to “warm” or “re-heat” my food in a cheap Styrofoam container because I know it’s potentially poisonous.

Plain and simple, Styrofoam should not go in the microwave, its poisonous and melts into the food, sometimes, many times the naked eye cannot see it. Putting Styrofoam in the microwave is a common practice in the Bahamas and should be abandoned immediately.

There are some heavy duty Styrofoam containers that will not melt in a microwave but hardly used in the Bahamas. Also, some noodles that come in Styrofoam have also been proven to be unsafe, so check the label before use.

What concerns me also, is why public health officials never discourage this common practice in public food "joints" when it’s a public health risk? Either they don’t know, or are too lazy to care.
Your/Our health is at risk!


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Some foods come wrapped in materials (e.g., styrofoam) that may not be suitable for use in the microwave. These materials could leach chemicals into your food or cause burns if they melt during microwave cooking.
Health Canada
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/iyh-vsv/prod/micro-f-a_e.html
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What type of cookware should I not use in my microwave?
Do not use Styrofoam in your microwave.
Whirlpool
http://www.whirlpool.com/catalog/faq.jsp?sectionId=261
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Styrofoam sometimes can be used successfully for warming food items, but prolonged cooking in a microwave will melt the Styrofoam, causing problems. Therefore, Styrofoam is not recommended. Leftover food from a restaurant should be removed from its Styrofoam container before warming.
Michigan State University
http://www.msu.edu/~lentnerd/NewFiles/Microwave.html

yeah ive done that alot .. thanks for the info .. no more!
I have seen hot food melt it before also ..

This is a good point. I recently was rewarming some food in the microwave and noticed that the container began to melt. I haven't done that since.

I worked at a DOW chemical plant that made styrofoam for a short time. I left because of the health hazards of breathing both styrene and butadyene,bot are wa styrofoam are made from and are highly flammable and toxic petroleum distillates and aromatics.It is easy tu believe that wen heated the aromatics would escape the styrofoam and migrate tu your food.

I really appreciate this thread! You learn something new everyday. I'm guilty of placing styrofoam plates in the microwave, but never again. Thanks:bouncy:

My brother told me this years ago (younger brother at that). Lucky I followed his advice.

It is a good idea not to use any form of plastic in the microwave! They all can melt or soften, releasing stuff into the food. China ONLY!

I hope the word get out.

That’s why so many chronic diseases are out of control and people have no idea of the sources.