Is it safe to microwave food or water in plastic containers?

Question

Or will the plastifiers (which are carconigenic) leach out into your food or drinks?

Answer 1

It depends. Some porcelain and plastic wares are microwave safe, and others are dangerous if you try microwaving them. Most plastic or porcelain wares state somewhere that they're microwave safe, on the bottom or on the package they came in. If you cannot find anything saying that it's safe for microwaving, don't microwave it. Just make sure you don't set the timer to 3 days or something. :P

Answer 2

Well, the manufacturers know that people like to microwave foods in their containers. The manufacturers are people too with families. They like to eat like you and use microwaves too. Would they be so careless to make something that can harm them too ? Polyethylene containers are safe. These containers are made form condensed ethene gas or ethanol(alcohol). The melting point of the materials the containers are made form and how long you heat them matters. You can safeguard against this by keeping the containers in the freezer. Lowering the materials melting point. If you're worried about heat releasing several moles of carcinogenic compunds. Don't microwave anything that has phenol in it. If you're worried about cancer. To be sure about the product you are using. Find the name of the company on the container. Go on their website. Ask them if you're so worried.

Answer 3

I wouldn't worry about it. You'd have to eat an awful lot of plastic in order to get enough plasticizer to cause a problem.

Check out the references to the urban legends below.

Answer 4

Yes it won't poison your food.

I heard some weird myths about how plastic turns into estrogen or other chemicals in microwave. It's not true.

Answer 5

Who told you that the plasticizers cause cancer? Why can't people simply ask a question, without threading urban legends into them?