In life, we often use plastic bags to pack food, such as steaming steamed buns or take-out with hot soup. However, recently, according to the Daily Mail, a survey of five major food manufacturers in the United States showed that 62% of takeout packages were found to contain polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS), and 80% of hot food and salad packages also contain the substances, which can cause liver damage, immune system damage and cancer. This report has caused people to panic, and there are also claims that toxic and harmful substances in hot food in plastic bags will be separated due to high temperatures, and then migrate into the food. What is the truth?

Reporter found in the investigation, there are two main types of plastic bags for food: one is common in small supermarkets, small restaurants or vendors, they use relatively thin and almost transparent white plastic bags. The other is common in large supermarkets and restaurants, and the plastic bags they provide for vegetables, fruits or cooked food and other food are thicker.

According to the reporter consulted the data found that most of the claims that hot food in plastic bags is harmful refer to "polyvinyl chloride" plastic bags or "recycled" plastic bags, but Wu Xiaomeng, associate professor of food science and nutrition Engineering College of China Agricultural University, told reporters that the common plastic bags on the market are actually polyethylene (PE) material. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is mostly used in pipelines, light switches and other plastic products with high strength and poor toughness, and is rarely used in plastic bags that come into direct contact with food.

Wu Xiaomeng said that food grade plastic bags in line with national standards can contain hot food. So how do we distinguish between food grade and non-food grade plastic bags? Some people think that the color of fancy, thin and soft plastic bags is non-food grade, but Wu Xiaomeng said that from the color, thickness, hardness, strength and other characteristics can not be accurately distinguished, the safest way is to carefully look at the bag logo: not only marked with "food contact" "food packaging" and other words, as well as the name and contact information of the manufacturer and plastic material and other information.

Early stall without any information of the plastic bag is likely not food grade, this kind of plastic bag has potential food safety risks, can not be used to hold food. Because it may contain more than the national standard provisions of residual microorganisms or processing may add the national standard does not allow the use of additives, harmful to the human body.

Even if it is a food grade plastic bag, it must not be put into the microwave oven to heat. Microwave oven heating temperature is very high, more than the melting point of the plastic bag, plastic will be heated deformation, melting, and even stick to the food, processing is not clean is likely to cause ingestion. If you are worried about the seller's plastic bag is irregular, you can bring your own food grade plastic bag or polypropylene (PP) material crisper box when shopping, which is both safe and environmentally friendly.

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