Can putting plastic plates and bowls in the microwave give cancer?

they say when you put it in the microwave,waves go in through the plate into the food.Is this true?

Plastics are derivatives of crude oil, they contain carcinogens, when heated the carcinogens are released and seep into the food, over time the toxins accumulate.

There is research that indicates that utilizing microwave ovens in general is not a good practice. Vegetables heated in a microwave oven lose a lot of their nutrients and can even change their makeup at the molecular level.

There is a reason hospitals don't use microwave ovens to heat blood for transfusions, the patient usually ends up dead.

yes, it's true. I was shocked as well. I'm 100% sure of this.

It won't give you cancer instantly, but if you use this daily, then it has a lot of chances.

hot plastic is emitting dioxin

I dont think so if thats true I am proboly dead by now

Only if you use soft polyvinyl plastics and overheat. Microwave ware plastics are safe and durable.

This is an urban legend that has been circulating for years. Your responses will all say yes except for this one, which says yes and no.

First of all, burning some kinds of plastic will release carcinogens. Never breathe the fumes from burning plastic.

FDA regulates plastic food containers. They got concerned a few years back when some companies put reflective plastic in their containers in order to allow the products to brown in the microwave. Since the plastic got so much hotter in the microwave than plastic normally would, they investigated the issue. They found the companies had tested the plastic under recommended use, but decided that reuse of the reflective container might be a problem. So those foods in reflective containers all carry warnings not to reuse the container.

That is how this whole thing started.

There are some plastics that are not designed for microwave use. A plastic grocery bag, for example, may be safe but it hasn't been tested, so you wouldn't use it. A plastic picnic bowl that will melt when exposed to boiling temperature should not be used in the microwave. Most of those thinner plastic plates and bowls will melt like that; they were designed for serving, not cooking. Items intended to be used in cooking, like plastic food storage bags, plastic containers, and plastic wrap will say on the label if they are safe for microwave or not.

So it isn't "plastic" that is the problem.

I'm giving you a link to the FDA consumer information on plastics and microwave ovens.

With respect to the safety of eating foods from a microwave; well this all depends on the containers used to heat the food in. Some plastics, for instance, are more prone to the effect of "migration". whereby some additives used in plastics are more likely to migrate to foods more than others. The main concern in the past has been in connection with plasticisers which are used to improve the flexibility of some packaging materials. As the tendency for plasticisers to migrate increases at higher temperatures, only those plastics specifically designed for oven use are suitable for cooking.

To reduce any possible risk one should;

* Use only microwave-safe utensils.
* While some packaging films may be labelled 'microwave-safe' care should be taken to avoid direct contact with the food when using them to cover containers or to reheat dinners on plates.
* As migration is more likely to occur into hot fatty foods, glass containers are a suitable choice for heating these products.

As yet there are no standards for claims such as "microwave safe"; if you are in doubt as to the safety of such materials contact the manufacturer or use a ceramic/glass alternative.

Further, there are also many reports that indicate the loss of vitamins and certain goodness from foods that are microwaved, but the fact is that the nutritional value of food cooked in microwave is as nutritious as food prepared using conventional convection cooking methods. In fact as far as the loss of vitamins is concerned microwave cooking is preferable to boiling so as to minimise possible leaching of vitamins into the cooking water. So if anything, microwave cooking enhances mineral retention in vegetables. Further, the quality of protein, in foods cooked in a microwave is higher than those foods cooked conventionally, as far less oxidation occurs in meat cooked in a microwave. Similarly, reheating food quickly in a microwave retains more nutrients than holding food hot for long periods such as cooking and keeping food warm continually over a flame.

If you would like to read some more information on the subject the following link that has been prepared in conjunction with the CSIRO, would be a good source.

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