The cup should not be put in the microwave because it can release more of the BPA chemical from the Styrofoam, researchers said." In air, the polymer will have already begun charring at this temperature. I'm 15 years old and have been heating up leftovers in styrofoam containers for many years now, and I do this about every two weeks or more. Tumblr. Should I use water to put out a fire in my microwave? How much are you consuming? However it's pretty hard not to go above that with a microwave since water boils at 212 degrees and can boil in a microwave at around 2 minutes 30 seconds, according to my own (ceramic) teacup and microwave. At this temperature, the rate of polymeirzationa and depolymerization are equal. To sum it all up, it is perhaps safer to not microwave any Styrofoam containers at all. This article reviews whether you can microwave styrofoam, if … Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) ... she claimed coffee and/or food in Styrofoam cups or containers can be poisonous when heated in a microwave… Microwave your ramen for between three and five minutes. To help the noodles cook evenly, and check to make sure they're not over-stewing (which can result in over-done noodles without any bite), stop the microwave about half-way … However, at raised temepratures depolymerization can occur. Contrary to popular belief, some Styrofoam and other polystyrene containers can safely be used in the microwave. It is not inherently FDA-approved, but can be manufactured to be so. The best I can break it down (pun unintended) is this: Polystyrene itself is basically nontoxic. Styrofoam In the Microwave If your container doesn’t have a microwave-safe symbol, it is not recommended to put it in the microwave. http://www.enotes.com/expanded-polystyrene-foam-epf-reference/expanded-polystyrene-foam-epf. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1997. I'm pretty sure I'd die too If I were force fed 8 lbs of just about any raw chemical. That's a major face-palm moment lol. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. ... Also check out the best best microwave and can you microwave styrofoam. So if you melt 1-2% of your cup into your food, you're getting about 15-80 milligrams of actual polystyrene in your drink. Styrofoam containers package fast food, store leftovers from restaurants and wrap a variety of ready-to-eat foods at takeout restaurants. But don't make a habit out of doing that because the long-term effects are pretty unpleasant. Heat is created through a process called dielectric heating. r/MadeOfStyrofoam: Rest in Peace HooplaHobo, who was one of MadeOfStyrofoams founding fathers. Just as a rule of thumb for the melting stuff, the Tg(glass transition temperature, not MELTING temperature, polystyrene doesn't really undergo melting in the strict chemical sense it since it is almost totally amorphous, tha 240C Tm on wikipedia is based on the very tiny crystalline content of atactic styrene) of polystyrene is around 100C depending on molecular weight, which is why you can melt some polystyrene containers by heating certain things in them. The site may not work properly if you don't, If you do not update your browser, we suggest you visit, Press J to jump to the feed. That's really creepy. The only type of styrofoam you should ever microwave is styrofoam that is marked to be microwaveable. Before we can really get into if it's safe, we need to figure out what Styrofoam actually is. Heating food in styrofoam is safe from a chemical/toxicity point of view. Does Bloomfield reference polystyrene specifically, or just discuss microwaves? People tend to think of the squeaky white substance used to make disposable beverage containers when they think of Styrofoam when, in fact, the Styrofoam name covers some types of transparent plastic packaging as well. This is due to an equilibrium between the rate of polymerization and depolymerization. If you let it go longer and melt 10% of the packaging you're getting about 150-440 mg depending on the package, which is right at the upper limit of the EPA's guidelines for short-term exposure according to the graph in the link above. Even if the eggs are exposed to the microwave, they won’t hatch. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the NoStupidQuestions community, Looks like you're using new Reddit on an old browser. They keep food warm during transport so you don’t have to reheat them. Contrary to popular belief, some Styrofoam and other polystyrene containers can safely be used in the microwave. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Luckily, at 200o C (water boils at 100) in an air atomsphere (like in a microwave), only trace amounts of polystyrene were detected (page 114 of the NIST review). This alternative material is constructed using safer materials, lower levels of hazardous chemical compounds, and is designed to remain more stable at higher temperatures. Now, according to the EPA, the chemical styrene has the following effects: Gastrointestinal effects (IE stomachache), peripheral neuropathy (In layman's terms, the nerves outside the brain stop working). Polystyrene is a plastic product that’s made from, among othe… An open forum with loose moderation to discuss self … Disclaimer - I still wouldn't heat up something in polystyrene. http://www.epa.gov/ttnatw01/hlthef/styrene.html. Ryan Hansen So, if the food temperature isn't going to get above 175 degrees, this shouldn't take it above safe point. Email. How Things Work: The Physics of Everyday Life. The first type is traditional styrofoam, which is a product name for products made out of polystyrene. Place your noodles in the microwave, set the timer, and start cooking. I would just cut these out. There are options on a microwave, through which a cook can easily set the weight of the food that he is defrosting. I researched this topic and found that styrofoam is a type of plastic and it should not be used when microwaving food because some of the toxic ingredients in styrofoam can get into your food. The site may not work properly if you don't, If you do not update your browser, we suggest you visit, Press J to jump to the feed. “Standing 20 inches away from a running microwave results in a 100-fold drop in radiation exposure,” she explains. Polystyrene doesn’t melt from the heat in the microwave though, it would melt from the heat of it’s contents warming up. At the base level, there are two different types of styrofoam. Ughh so when they zap the little styrene cup of beans at the local chip shop....? So I can microwave my food that is in one of those disposable Styrofoam containers and it will be safe to eat? These waves can stimulate molecules in food, … Or is there something else that makes this a bad idea? Luckily for everyone who uses plastics on a daily basis, polymers don't carry the same toxicity as their monomers since often times their large molecular weight (thousands of monomers linked together) and general inertness to chemical attack make them safe in general living conditions (Rubber, PVC, Teflon and many nylons are all built from what could be considered ''toxic'' monomers, but are safe for daily use thanks to the magic of polymers). Please respond to every thread I ever visit. That will cause melting and deformation of the styrofoam container and possibly a nasty mess, but isn't dangerous for your health. In other words, you have to get polystyrene REALLY hot to cause release much monomer, and it likely would be already burning in the oxygen rich microwave oven environment. If the microwave doesn’t come with a defrost option, then defrosting can still be done by one’s own calculation. Just follow the same rule you follow for using other plastic containers in the microwave: Check the label. If you aren’t sure, skip it. From on-the-go coffee to take-out meals, many products come in polystyrene containers. Polystyrene is a polymer, meaning a very long chain of chemically linked single molecules of styrene (just like polyethylene is a very long chain of linked ethylene monomers). If you really have no choice or needed to, do check first if the container is microwave-safe and even if it is microwave safe, try to keep the cooking time to not more than 30 seconds. 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