Mr. Tom's Tips for Emergency Preparedness: Plastic Containers

There are many items made from plastic these days, several of which are items used for storing food. But not all plastics are good to use for storing food items, and some may actually contain toxic ingredients. So the question has come up as to what the difference is between a ?regular? container, and a ?food grade? container. Well, let?s discuss some things you should know.

What Is Food Grade Plastic?

????????? You should be mindful of two aspects of plastic production when choosing your containers. First: What type of plastic resin was used in the manufacturing? Second: What type of release agent was used? (A release agent is a chemical used to allow the plastic to break freely from the mold without sticking. You can think of it like using PAM? on your cookware.) While some products are technically made from ?food grade? plastic, the release agent used may contain toxic chemicals. True food grade plastic items have been made with a more expensive release agent that contains no toxins.

Food grade plastic films and containers may be made from polycarbonate, polyester, or polyethylene. They do not contain dyes or recycled plastics that have been deemed to be harmful to humans. However, this does not mean that food grade plastic cannot contain dyes or some recycled plastic. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) requires that plastics used in food packaging be of greater purity than plastics used for non-food packaging. The FDA has detailed regulations concerning plastic purity. Plastic requirements.

The characteristics of plastic in terms of density, permeability and strength vary considerably. To limit permeability of moisture and oxygen, films of these plastics are sometimes laminated together, frequently with a metallic layer. Meals Ready to Eat (MRE) packaged in such a metalized polyester-polyethylene wrap have a shelf life of 5+ years if kept cool.

Another aspect of using plastic for food storage is matching the appropriate type of plastic to a particular food product. Foods that are highly acidic (like tomatoes), contain alcohol, or fats, can leach chemicals from the plastic container into the food. Therefore you should only use plastic containers that are FDA approved for the particular type of food with which it will come in contact.

A plastic container that has been used to store non-food items like paint, chemicals, or detergent, can no longer be considered food grade. Because of the tiny pores in plastic, non-food chemicals will contaminate the container which in turn would contaminate any food items. (In other words, don?t re-use your empty detergent buckets for food storage purposes.) You can purchase food grade buckets at various locations on line such as Emergency Essentials; or Be Ready Inc.. You might be able to get used buckets for free or for a very low price from your neighborhood bakery or donut shop.?

????????? There is a caveat that you should consider with plastics and the claims regarding food safety. The plastic used for food items, like frozen dinner trays or water bottles, have been tested ONLY for their ?intended use.? This means that when you re-use those trays, or use them for other purposes, all bets are off. Some plastics are allowed to be in contact with food in the microwave while others are not. Keep in mind that bacteria can grow on virtually any packaging material if stored in conditions suitable for bacterial growth. Therefore, it?s best to clean plastic containers with hot soapy water and dry thoroughly before reuse.

Types of Plastic

In the Plastic industry, the following codes represent the seven categories of plastic resin used in nearly all plastic containers and product packaging:

	PET or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate) is a clear, tough polymer with exceptional gas and moisture barrier properties. PET's ability to contain carbon dioxide (carbonation) makes it ideal for use in soft drink bottles. Examples: Water bottles, soft drink bottles, detergent bottles. ?
	HDPE (high density polyethylene) is used in milk, juice and water containers in order to take advantage of its excellent protective barrier properties. Its chemical resistance properties also make it well suited for items such as containers for household chemicals and detergents. Most five gallon buckets are made from HDPE. Examples: Milk bottles, some shopping bags, toys. ?
	Vinyl (Polyvinyl chloride or PVC) provides excellent clarity, puncture resistance and cling. As a film, vinyl can breathe just the right amount, making it ideal for packaging fresh meats that require oxygen to ensure a bright red surface while maintaining an acceptable shelf life. Examples: Plastic food wrap, shrink wrap, garden hoses, vegetable oil bottles. (Saran Wrap? has been reformulated and no longer contains PVC.) ?
	LDPE (low density polyethylene) offers clarity and flexibility. It is used to make bottles that require flexibility. To take advantage of its strength and toughness in film form, it is used to produce garbage bags, shrink and stretch film, and coating for milk cartons. Examples: Squeeze bottles, dry cleaning bags, some grocery bags. ?
	PP (polypropylene) has high tensile strength, making it ideal for use in caps and lids that have to hold on tightly to threaded openings. Because of its high melting point, polypropylene can be hot-filled with products designed to cool in bottles, including ketchup and syrup. It is also used for products that need to be incubated, such as yogurt. Many Cambo?, Tupperware?, and Rubbermaid? food storage containers are made from polypropylene. Examples: Bottle caps, take-out food containers, drinking straws. ?
	PS (polystyrene), in its crystalline form, is a colorless plastic that can be clear and hard. It can also be foamed to provide exceptional insulation properties. Foamed or expanded polystyrene (EPS) is used for products such as meat trays, egg cartons and coffee cups. It is also used for packaging and protecting appliances, electronics and other sensitive products. Examples: Plastic foam, disposable utensils, coat hangers.
	Other: Denotes plastics made from other types of resin or from several resins mixed together. These usually cannot be recycled. Examples: Three and five-gallon water bottles, DVDs, iPod and computer cases, signs and displays, certain food containers. Common plastics polycarbonate (PC) and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) do not have recycling numbers.

Polycarbonate is a clear shatter-resistant material used in restaurant food storage containers and recently in the Rubbermaid Stain Shield? line of products for home use. (Polycarbonate is the same plastic used to make light weight lenses for eye glasses.)

Plastics that have been approved for food storage are:? polyethylene terephthalate, and high density polyethylene (#1 & #2 above). Polycarbonate has also been approved, but I would like to point out the following information regarding this plastic:

BPA:

Bisphenol A (BPA), is a synthetic estrogen used to make plastics hard: It has been the subject of many news reports questioning its safety. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it?s safe to use BPA in food-contact applications, but that claim is still being hotly debated. Apparently there was an expos? in the December 2010 issue of Consumer Reports, with actual test data from canned foods. (Plastic types #1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 are free of BPA.) For information supporting BPA, click here. For more information against BPA, click here.

????????? Major factors to BPA leaching into your water or other food products seems to be time and heat. The longer something is stored in a container made with BPA, the more leaching will take place. Also, as the temperature of the container rises, more of the chemical can be released. For example, boiling water stored in a Nalgene? bottle will leach BPA 55 times faster than cold water.

Heat affects the other plastics as well, so you shouldn?t store water bottles in your car where the temperatures can reach well over 100 degrees on a sunny day. If you want to carry water in your car, it might be a better idea to keep it in the trunk where the temps will remain cooler. I encourage you to do your own research and draw your own conclusions.?

Plastic Bags

????????? If you?re not sure whether your storage bucket is made from food grade plastic, or for added protection, you can line your bucket with a plastic bag. Once again, keep in mind not all plastics are created equal. You should not use plastic bags that were made for a non-food use, such as trash bags or dry cleaning bags!

????????? There are several types of bags you could consider for lining buckets of food, and they include: Ziploc brand bags; turkey roasting bags; and Mylar laminate bags. Keep in mind that the bags should not be considered ?air-tight? unless they are heat sealed. In order for oxygen absorbing packets to be effective with long-term storage, you will need to make sure your liner is heat sealed!

(The Ziploc bags are handy, but they don?t provide an airtight seal.) Some kitchen supply stores sell other plastic bags for food use, but they?re fairly expensive.

Lids

????????? Storing food or other items in plastic buckets is a great way to organize your storage supplies. Some people put an entire meal of pre-packaged items into one bucket and then label the container accordingly. (For example a bucket labeled ?Dinner? could contain: canned chicken; stove top stuffing; canned gravy; canned vegetables; drink mix; and Jell-O or pudding mix.) You might be able to fit an entire days worth of food into one bucket. You could also use buckets for non-food items such as tools; cooking supplies; First Aid supplies; pet food; clothing, etc.

????????? In addition to Gamma Seal Lids, you can purchase a replacement lid for your buckets that is a toilet seat. With these lids, you simply line your bucket with a plastic bag and take care of business. (Of course, you don?t need food grade buckets or bags for this purpose.)

Summary

????????? Not all plastics are suitable for food storage! Be sure to use only food grade plastic to store food items. Non food grade containers may be used for food items if they?re lined with a food grade bag. Never use a container for food items that has been used previously for non-food chemicals or paint. You can buy replacement lids that will allow you easy access to your supplies while providing an airtight and watertight seal. While plastic gives a good seal for your food items, it is still permeable (over time, air and chemicals may still leach through the container). Avoid high temperatures (over 85? F) when using plastics for storage of food or water. ?

Mr. Tom

Source: http://www.mrtomstips.com/2013/01/plastic-containers.html

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