[GreenYes] Fwd: Re: Plastics & food

[Gary Liss <gary@garyliss.com>]

 >> -----Original Message-----
 >> From: Cynthia Larson [mailto:cynthia@2xtreme.net]
 >> Sent: Thursday, August 08, 2002 6:56 PM
 >> Subject: Warning about ALL plastics & food
 >>
 >> Apparently, it's not just microwave ovens and plastic wrap that
 >> is a health concern -- it's any kind of high heat (ie: ovens,
 >> cooking pans) and ethylhexyl adepate (DEHA) -- found in all
 >> plastics.
 >>
 >> Some cancer patients using alternative methods of treatment
 >> are asked to discard all plastic food containers with a warning
 >> that ANY food stored in or cooked in plastic, be it oven wear,
 >> microwave or storage of liquids in plastic (even in the
 >> refrigerator) can be contaminated through leaching of this
 >> chemical.  Only dry foods are safe to store in plastic.
 >> Since most canned foods are lined with plastic, they are
 >> also warned against (this includes sodas and canned juices, since
 >> all aluminum cans are apparently lined in plastic).
 >>
 >> Safe to use: Cast Iron, Stainless Steel, and glass.  Pyrex
 >> makes storage containers with glass bottoms and plastic tops,
 >> which work fine as long as the food does not touch the lids.
 > From: Gary Liss <gary@garyliss.com>
 > Date: Fri, 09 Aug 2002 10:01:39 -0700
 > To: cynthia@2xtreme.net
 >
 > Cynthia,
 >
 > Do you have any citations of studies that confirms this?  What is the
 > source of this conclusion?
 >
 > Gary Liss

>Date: Fri, 09 Aug 2002 14:14:16 -0700
>Subject: Re: Plastics & food
>From: Cynthia Larson <cynthia@2xtreme.net>
>To: Gary Liss <gary@garyliss.com>
>
>Hi, Gary!
>
>I would also love to know if there are some
>solid studies to back up these claims.  All I've
>found so far is strong interest in further studies...
>and since the folks with the biggest research
>budgets might not want people doing such research,
>it's not too surprising that not enough of this
>research has been funded recently.
>
>The only facts I've come up with (so far) about
>these claims are some questions and answers I
>found today at a page on the subject of cancer
>and environmental estrogens at:
>http://www.cfe.cornell.edu/bcerf/Video_Web/questions.plastic.htm
>
>Cynthia
>................................
>Q. Please talk about plastic containers and plastic wrap used to cover
>foods. What is known? What is better if we want to reduce risk?
>
>A. This is an area that BCERF would like to investigate further, but we 
>have not had either the funding nor the staff to do so. There are 
>chemicals found in some plastics and other products that help make the 
>plastic more
>flexible, but do not become part of the plastic. Under the right conditions,
>these "plasticizers" may leach out of the plastic. There are two
>plasticizers that have been identified as weak environmental estrogens. 
>They are called nonylphenol and bisphenol A. Some studies have shown that 
>some plasticizers can leach out of the plastic with heat. For this reason 
>it is probably best to microwave food in glass, or lead free china or 
>ceramic. Paper towels napkins or paper or china plates can be put over 
>food to prevent splattering during microwaving.

>To what extent we are exposed to estrogenic plasticizers is a good 
>question. Currently, we don't have adequate studies that can give us an 
>answer.

>Answer provided by Suzanne Snedeker, Ph.D.
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Q. Can you comment on plastics estrogen-like chemical secretion?
>
>A. Whether substances found in plastic can leach out into food or into the
>air of our homes is an active area of research. There are studies that have
>looked as certain substances called "plasticizers" which are used to make
>plastics flexible. The plasticizers called nonylphenol and bisphenol A are
>both weak environmental estrogens. Bisphenol A is used the lining of some 
>tin cans, in dental sealants, and in baby bottles and pacifiers. 
>Nonylphenol is used in many applications, including some laundry 
>detergents, some paints, cosmetics, and as a non-pesticide ingredient in 
>many commercial pesticide formulations. Now, to what extent estrogenic 
>chemicals leak out of plastics is a good question. We know that some 
>estrogenic plasticizers can leach of plastics with heat. That is why you 
>should not microwave baby bottles. Glass and lead-free ceramic/china are 
>the best containers to use for microwaving food or beverages. Plastic wrap 
>should not touch the food during microwaving. If plastic wraps are used 
>there should be at least one to two inches between the wrap and the food. 
>Or, use a paper napkin or a paper or china plate to cover food when 
>microwaving.

>Answer provided by Suzanne Snedeker, Ph.D.-- 
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gary Liss
916-652-7850
Fax: 916-652-0485

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