Re: Re: Re: How does the container affect the food or drink I an consuming?

Hi, Tim.  Who says you should care when eating out of a plastic container? 
Millions do it every day.  Witness Rubbermaid, Gladware and Tupperware for 
example.  These plastics have been vigourously tested for safety.  These 
products are made from polyethylene.  Water and foods are packaged in 
polyethylene in the form of plastic bottles, squeeze bottles and the like. 
Ethylene containers hold milk while others contain vinegar.  They are 
strong, safe, flexible and reliable.

Other food containers are made from polypropylene.  These plastics are 
designed and tested to contain such foods as margarine, yogourt, cottage 
cheese, sour cream and other such tub containers.  They were not designed 
to be continually reused to store other foods in.  Polypropylene does have 
the tendency to adsorb molecules so that off odours or tastes can occur if 
reusing repeatedly over a long period of time.  Storing acidic foods may 
be problematic as some of the plastic could break down.  Practically this 
wouldn't make much difference as these amounts are barely measurable, 
(i.e. in the parts per billion).  However, due to the litiguous 
environment prevalent in the United States, companies that manufacture 
these products prefer to err on the side of caution and recommend only 
what the products have been tested and designed for.

The main debates in the scientific community regarding plastics are with 
plasticizers.  These are substances added to plastics to make them more 
flexible, pliable and tough.  Phthalates are among the more important ones 
used, as well as tricresyl phosphate.  They are used in plastics such as 
polystyrene, vinyl, like P.V.C., and polyacrylics.  The worry is that they 
can leach out and cause people to become ill.  Rats, (bred to be sensitive 
to carcinogens) have shown increased liver tumours and smaller testes when 
exposed to plasticizers like DEHA (diethylhexyladipate).  Swedish workers 
exposed to plastics and plasticizers on a daily basis had higher levels of 
testicular cancer.  However, apart from occupational and environmental 
concerns they have not been proven to be harmful in the general 
population. A 1990 E.U. commission did not find DEHA to be a carcinogen in 
fish, hamsters, guinea pigs, dogs or monkeys.  The Danish Institute of 
Toxicology concluded that an intake of 500 mg./ day was without effect on 
humans.  Our average daily intake is about 0.35 mg.  Over a lifetime 
that's less than 10 grams, (about a dessert spoonful).

Another concern with plastics is a compound called bisphenol A which is 
used as an intermediate in the manufacture of some plastics like 
polycarbonate, baby bottles or in the inside lining of some canned foods.  
This compound has estrogenic properties and its long term effect on humans 
is unknown.  It falls into a category known as endocrine disrupters.  
Where large amounts of these types of pollutants have been found some 
observational studies have noted the following: female birds displaying 
gender reversal roles, smaller alligator penises and gender differences in 
fish.  Keep in mind that bisphenol A has never been proven to be harmful 
in humans.

Glass is a stable and impervious material.  You aren't ingesting glass 
with your meal.  Clay has been used for thousands of years and is also 
safe and non-toxic.  Ceramics are generally safe as well, although there 
have been some isolated cases of some ceramics (especially in the late 
1980's), which were found to leach lead.  Most of those either came from 
Third World countries or were not fired properly.  The best ceramics 
are 'ceramic glass' such as Corning Ware' (TM), that are safe and can 
withstand high heat.

As for your homemade beer, I wouldn't use the paint containers.  Plastics 
can absorb contaminants which could not only cause off tastes and smells 
but may contain undesirable chemicals that may not exactly be good for 
your health.  Stick to the adage "If it wasn't meant for food - don't use 
it."

Finally, that airplane seatbelt is not as useless as you might think.  Not 
wearing it has actually caused serious injury and even death during 
violent turbulence.  I guess that strip of polyester around your waist may 
gain some new respect.  Hope that helps.

Peter Bosani.

Sources:  Dr. John Emsley- Molecules at an Exhibition.
          Dr. Joe Schwarcz- Radio show- C.J.A.D. Montreal. May 04 & 11, 2003.
Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary.

As well you may want to read - Plastic- The making of a synthetic century 
by Stephen Fenichell.