With the continuous improvement of civilization, more and more people have developed a good habit of packing leftovers. “One congee and one meal, when thinking is hard to come by”, the CD-ROM operation promotes the traditional virtues of diligence and thrift, and is worthy of everyone’s practice.
The most common thing we use when packing is plastic boxes. If you think about it, it is not difficult to find that these boxes are very different in terms of transparency, softness, color, and logo. When you poured food into unknown plastic packaging boxes, did you ever worry about being unsafe when you put the box in a microwave oven to heat it? If you want to be frugal and secure, you need to understand the meaning of the logo on the plastic packaging box, whether the plastic packaging box can be heated, and how to make a safe choice.
How much do plastic packing boxes know? Blister packaging tray
On a daily plastic container, we often see a triangle logo surrounded by arrows. The triangle has the numbers 1 to 7 inside and the letters below. Understanding the meaning of this logo is a prerequisite for choosing a secure packaging box.
These numbers and letters represent different plastic materials and also mean that plastics have different uses. No. 1 (PET) is mostly used for mineral water and beverage bottles; No. 2 is mostly used for containers of daily necessities such as shampoo and bath liquid; No. 3 (PVC) is mostly used for raincoats and building materials; No. 4 (LDPE) is mostly used for plastic wrap; No. 7 (PC) is mostly used for drinking glasses and feeding bottles.
The remaining No. 5 (PP) and No. 6 (PS) are the materials most commonly used to make packing boxes. PP is the abbreviation of Polypropylene, and PS stands for Polystyrene. PP boxes have strong stability, corrosion resistance and high temperature resistance. PS boxes are thin and highly transparent. Most of the plastic boxes used by businesses to pack sushi and fruits are PS boxes.
At the same time, we always encounter “three-nothing” packaging boxes without labels, instructions, and manufacturers. They are often produced by “black workshops”. To save costs, industrial grade calcium carbonate and other harmful substances are added. These ingredients will precipitate when exposed to oil and acid, adding huge hidden dangers to food safety and human health.
Can the plastic packing box be heated?
In order to save time, we sometimes put plastic packing boxes in the microwave with the food. It only takes a few minutes to eat hot food. It is really beautiful. But have you ever wondered if all packing boxes can be heated in the microwave?
In fact, the only food-grade plastic that can be heated in a microwave oven is PP. In other words, we can only consider putting it in the microwave oven if we see the No. 5 (PP) logo on the packing box. As for other plastics, some are not resistant to high temperatures and will dissolve when heated, while others contain plasticizers, bisphenol A and other ingredients, which will release harmful chemicals when heated. In addition, in addition to the triangle mark on the regular plastic packing box, there will also be a special English description of whether it can be used in the microwave. Therefore, when there is no logo on the box and the material cannot be determined, remember not to heat it.
It is worth noting that due to the semi-crystalline nature of polypropylene, the transparency of PP boxes is not high. In order to improve visibility and aesthetics, some businesses often use PP as the box body, but use PS as the box cover. This requires us to read the logo clearly before heating and remove the covers of different materials.
How to choose a plastic packing box?
After understanding the identification and basic characteristics of plastic packaging boxes, how can we make a safe choice? In a nutshell, one look, two pinches, three smells.
The first is “see”. When packing, carefully check whether there is a triangle logo and microwave instructions on the plastic box. The PP packing box is relatively safe, and it can also be heated in a microwave oven. It should be used in preference. Chemical raw materials decompose harmful components when heated. The colorful colors may also be used to conceal the truth of the use of waste plastic.
The second is “kneading”. It is necessary to select a packing box that has a certain thickness and is not easy to tear or deform by squeezing. PP boxes are usually strong, but in contrast, some packing boxes are thin, soft, fragile, and deformable when heated. These soft-packed and cracked packing boxes are likely to be made of other types of plastic or waste plastic, which will cause great harm to the human body after use.
The third is “smell”. The qualified plastic packaging box should be free of odor. If you smell a pungent odor, it is either not sanitary and disinfected, or there are residues of chemical materials, which are all unqualified products without inspection. .
In short, it is basically easy to identify and choose a plastic packing box by looking at two things, three things at a time, but considering the long-term health and ecological environment, we still need to use as few plastic products as possible. Bring your own safety packing box when you go out for dinner, and change into microwave-specific utensils when you go home to heat up, adding a bit of peace of mind to your food and making a contribution to protecting the environment!
