[wordup] Warning - Plastic Wrap & Microwaving

[Adam Shand]

I've actually always wondered about this.  As always take warnings
passed around the net with several grains of salt, but it comes from Jon
at the Eristocracy so I'm inclined to take it at face value.

Adam.

PS.  Actually sure enough, there's info on snopes about it.  Looks like
it's alarmist but mostly true.  They list it as unconfirmed.

  http://www.snopes.com/toxins/plastic.htm

The Eristocracy <Eristocracy at merrymeet.com>

From: Daniel Snyder [mailto:DSnyder at lahd.lacity.org]
Sent: Friday, August 09, 2002 6:51 PM
To:  'Rich Monosson'
Subject: Warning - Plastic Wrap & Microwaving

Be Aware! Plastic Wrap

As a seventh grade student, Claire Nelson learned that di(ethylhexyl)adepate
(DEHA), considered a carcinogen, is found in plastic wrap. She also learned
that the FDA had never studied the effect of microwave cooking on
plastic-wrapped food. Claire began to wonder: "Can cancer-causing particles
seep into food covered with household plastic wrap while it is being
microwaved?"

Three years later, with encouragement from her high school science teacher,
Claire set out to test what the FDA had not. Although she had an idea for
studying the effect of microwave radiation on plastic-wrapped food, she did
not have the equipment. Eventually, Jon Wilkes at the National Center for
Toxicological Research in Jefferson, Arkansas, agreed to help her. The
research center, which is affiliated with the  FDA, let her use its
facilities to perform her experiments, which involved microwaving plastic
wrap in virgin olive oil. Claire tested four different plastic wraps and
"found not just the carcinogens but also xenoestrogen was migrating
[into the oil]...." Xenoestrogens are linked to low sperm counts in men and
to breast cancer in women. Throughout her junior and senior years, Claire
made a couple of trips each week to the research center, which was 25 miles
from her home, to work on her experiment.

An article in Options reported that "her analysis found that DEHA was
migrating into the oil at between   200 parts and 500 parts per million. The
FDA standard is 0.05 parts per billion." Her summarized results have been
published in science journals. Claire Nelson received the American Chemical
Society's top science prize for students during her junior year and fourth
place at the International Science and Engineering Fair (Fort Worth, Texas)
as a senior. "Carcinogens -- At 10,000,000 Times FDA Limits" Options May
2000. Published by People Against Cancer, 515-972-4444. On Channel 2
(Huntsville, AL)  they had a Dr. Edward Fujimoto from Castle Hospital on the
program. He is the manager of the Wellness Program at the hospital. He was
talking about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should
not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This
applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high
heat and plastics releases dioxins into the food and ultimately into the
cells of the body. Dioxins are carcinogens and highly toxic to the cells of
our bodies. Instead, he recommends using glass, Corning Ware, or ceramic
containers for heating food. You get the same results without the dioxins.
So such things as TV dinners, instant simian and soups, etc., should be
removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but
you don't know what is in the paper. Just safer to use tempered glass,
Corning Ware, etc. He said we might remember when some of the fast food
restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper.  The dioxin
problem is one of the reasons.

Pass this on to your friends....

To add to this: Saran wrap placed over foods as they are nuked, with the
high heat, actually drips poisonous toxins into the food. Use paper
(without colorful dies) towel instead.