Many of us heat up leftovers in the office or at home without a second thought, often leaving them in their plastic containers. However, a leading scientist has issued a stern warning against this practice, stating that we should “never, never” microwave plastic.
Dr Shanna Swan, a renowned epidemiologist whose work is frequently featured in top magazines and newspapers globally, made these comments during an appearance on the Huberman Lab podcast, hosted by another famous scientist, Andrew Huberman. When asked by Dr Huberman “Is it true that microwave-safe just means that the plastic won’t melt in the microwave?” Dr Swan interjected, emphatically stating: “Never, never put plastic in a microwave.”
She explained that BPA, phthalates, and plasticisers are added to plastic but aren’t chemically bound to it.
Phthalates are chemicals that act as binding agents and make plastics flexible. They have been linked to various health problems in recent years, including asthma, ADHD, breast cancer, obesity, type 2 diabetes, low IQ, neurodevelopmental issues, behavioural issues, autism spectrum disorders, altered reproductive development, and male fertility issues.
BPA, an industrial chemical used in the production of plastic, is found in a variety of commercial products such as food containers, baby bottles and plastic water bottles. It has been associated with numerous health risks including cancer, infertility, endometriosis, obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes, reports Bristol Live.
Since the 1960s, it has been utilised for food packaging, but there are growing concerns about its potential to seep into food and beverages. Healthline reveals that “research suggests most people over the age of six have measurable amounts of BPA in their urine”.
It further states: “One study found that about 85% of Korean children under two years old had detectable levels of BPA in their urine.”
A plasticiser is a chemical additive that enhances the flexibility and softness of plastics and other materials.
Dr Swan warned: “So if you put anything in a container that has these chemicals in it and then put it in a hot environment, they will come out of the plastic and go into the food. So if you put it in a microwave or you put your bottle in the car and the sun comes in and warms up the bottle then the stuff goes into your water. You don’t want to mix these chemicals and your food but, if you do, the worst thing is to do it in a heated environment.”
