Many elders have such a habit: whether it is a beverage bottle or a mineral water bottle, he will wash it and tear off the label for storage, for example, small beverage bottles with soy sauce and vinegar and other seasonings, large beverage bottles with rice, noodles, grains, oil, etc.
Walking into the kitchen of many elders, you can see a lot of similar plastic bottles "waste utilization".
This may seem like a good thing to save the environment, but what many people don't know is:In fact, long-term use of disposable plastic bottled food has a lot of health risks.△ All kinds of plastic bottles in the kitchen of my parents
Why not recommend
Reusable drink bottles, mineral water bottles?
On plastic products, we can usually find a triangular arrow logo, the plastic in the triangle varies from 7~0, representing the specification of their raw material resin.
This material is lightweight, odorless, chemically stable, airtight, and can be directly used in food packaging, making it the most widely used beverage packaging material.
PET plastic products on the market, as long as they comply with national standards, under the condition of meeting the storage conditions and storage cycle, the migration amount of harmful substances needs to be lower than the standard amount, and will not bring health risks to the human body.
But it should be noted thatIf it is reused, or the contents are replaced, or stored in unsuitable conditions, it is likely that the otherwise safe plastic bottle will become unsafe.1. Changing what is in bloom may bring security risksBeverage bottles, mineral water bottles, etc. are mainly designed and produced for water, carbonated drinks, fruit juices, tea and other liquids, if it is allowed to hold other liquids, it may release toxic substances faster and more due to the change of liquid properties.
For example, if vinegar is used in a beverage bottle, the pH of the liquid decreases, which is likely to increase the migration of harmful substances.
Some studies have found that when PET plastic bottles are filled with 20% acetic acid, 0% ethanol and 0% ethanol, the migration of antimony, a harmful substance, in the bottles containing acetic acid is significantly higher than that of the other two.
PET is not resistant to high temperatures and cannot be used for food or hot water above 70 degrees. If it is filled with overheated food, it will deform and migrate harmful substances that are harmful to human health.
It is very, very discouraged for someone to divide cooking oil in beverage bottles, mineral water bottles, and put them around the stove. High temperatures can dramatically exacerbate the migration and diffusion of harmful substances in beverage bottles, posing health risks.
3. Beverage bottles will age, bringing health risksWe know that bottled water/beverages have a shelf life, which is not only the limit of the flavor and quality preservation of the beverage itself, but also the shelf life of the plastic bottle itself. This is because PET itself can also deteriorate due to long-term use, which leads to an increase in the migration of harmful substances.
At home, some elders use plastic beverage bottles for rice, millet, red beans, seasonings and other foods, and they are used for more than half a year, or even for several years.
Not to mention, some people still put it next to the stove, which is a big risk.
△ Plastic bottles used in parents' kitchens for more than half a year
Migration of hazardous substances
How harmful is it to the human body?
Beverage bottles, mineral water bottles and other PET plastic bottles, the harmful substances that move out during use can be roughly divided into two categories:
1. Metal catalyst "antimony" used in the production processAntimony is biotoxic and can enter the human body through the skin, digestive tract and other pathways, causing damage to tissues or organs such as the skin, heart, liver, and kidneys.
Although a small dose of antimony has no obvious effect on the human body, it has a certain accumulation effect, and long-term chronic ingestion will bring irreversible damage to various organs and systems of the human body.
2. Other organic matterIn order to increase the durability and strength of PET, plasticizers such as phthalates (PAEs) are usually added to the manufacturing process.
This plasticizer can disrupt the body's endocrine system, increase the risk of cancer, and pose a potential health risk.
How to use plastic products correctly?
Plastic in our lives is almost irreplaceable. In addition to common beverage bottles and mineral water bottles, everyone will also buy some plastic storage cans and the like to hold food in their lives.
Different plastics have different precautions when serving food. When using, only by following the instructions for use, such as the temperature of use, the type of items contained, whether it can be reused, etc., can it be safe and free of health risks.
△ Plastic products have a triangular arrow logo, and the number is written in the middle of the triangular arrow, which represents the number of materials
In addition to "No. 1 PET", we have also compiled several other types of plastics that everyone often comes into contact with in daily life and their precautions for reference.
No. 2 HDPE
High-density polyethylene
It has a slightly higher tolerance for high temperatures and can withstand high temperatures of 110 degrees. In addition to being made into plastic bags, plastic buckets and other forms, it is mostly used as pipes, doors and windows, fiber products, hollow containers, films and injection molding products in buildings.
HDPE likewise releases harmful substances in long-term use, therefore:Not recommended for use with food.No. 3 PVC
polyvinyl chloride
There are two types: hard and soft, which are usually used for daily necessities, such as plastic gloves, plastic sheets, plastic bottles for daily necessities, etc.
It should be noted that some inferior plastic wrap will also use PVC material, which is not suitable for high-temperature heating.
No. 4 LDPE
Low-density polyethylene
Common ones include plastic wrap, sealed bags, etc., which can properly tolerate a temperature of about 110 degrees, but harmful substances can be precipitated if they exceed 0 degrees.It is not recommended to pack hot food.No. 5 PP
polypropylene
If you are accustomed to using plastic boxes for food, you can specially purchase PP plastic boxes that meet the standards.
Microwave oven lunch boxes and baby bottles made of PP plastic are resistant to high temperatures and can be filled with hot water and hot food.PP is also the only microwaveable material of all plastics.It should be noted that some lunch boxes that can be entered into the microwave oven are made of No. 5 PP material that can be entered into the microwave, but the lid may not be made of microwave oven, so the lid needs to be removed when heating, otherwise it will also lead to the release of harmful substances.
No. 6 PS
polystyrene
Mainly used in disposable tableware, biscuit boxes, stationery, etc., with poor heat resistance,It is not recommended to hold hot food and reuse.No. 7 PC
polycarbonate
It can be used to make reusable water bottles, baby bottles, etc., and can also be used to make daily necessities, such as buckets, luggage, etc.
PC material is acid-resistant, but not resistant to oil, ultraviolet rays, strong eagles, etc.It is not resistant to microwaves and is not suitable for kitchen seasonings.(Source: Popular Science China)