Safest plastics for food and beverages

Some plastics are safer to eat and drink from than others. Here's a quick guide to help you make informed choices. If you want to dig deeper, take a look at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy's Smart Plastics Guide (PDF).
It's worth avoiding the following plastics when you can. You can identify a plastic by looking at the recycling code number that appears inside a triangle at the bottom of many containers.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) can leach phthalates, known male reproductive toxicants. It can be identified by code 3. One way to avoid it in the kitchen is by choosing plastic wrap made from polyethylene rather than PVC. If a box is not labeled, find a brand that is or call the manufacturer.

Polystyrene is used in Styrofoam products. It may leach styrene (a neurotoxin) when it comes into contact with hot, acidic, or fatty foods. It's marked with recycling code 6.

Polycarbonate can leach bisphenol-A (BPA), an endocrine disruptor associated with a long list of health concerns. Baby bottles, "sippy" cups, 5-gallon water jugs, and reusable beverage bottles are typically made out of this plastic. Products may be marked with recycling code 7 (also includes any plastic that doesn't fit into the 1 to 6 recycling code categories) and/or the letters "PC."
In response to the widespread concerns about BPA, baby bottles and other items made from alternative materials are springing up. Experts say stainless steel is your best bet for reusable water bottles right now. ThinkSport and Klean Kanteen are two widely available brands.

The following plastics are considered safest for food storage. Glass and stainless steel are also good options.

Polyethylene terephthalate ethylene (PETE), code 1.

High-density polyethylene (HDPE), code 2.

Low-density polyethylene (LDPE), code 4.

Polypropylene (PP), code 5.


Here are some tips for using all plastics safely:

• Don't microwave food plastic containers. Chemicals are more likely to leach out when plastic is heated. "Microwaveable plastic" doesn't guarantee that chemicals won't leach. Cover foods in the microwave with wax paper or a plate. If you do use plastic wrap, then make sure it doesn't touch the food.

• Avoid putting hot foods in plastic containers. Let leftovers cool off before storing them in plastic.

• Take good care of plastics by not washing them with harsh chemicals, and dispose of scratched and worn containers. Research has shown that older, scratched items will leach more, says Kathleen Schuler at the Institute for Agricultural and Trade Policy. (Don't put them in the dishwasher if you want to be completely risk-averse, she suggests.)

Environmental journalist Lori Bongiorno shares green-living tips and product reviews with Yahoo! Green's users. Send Lori a question or suggestion for potential use in a future column. Her book, Green Greener Greenest: A Practical Guide to Making Eco-smart Choices a Part of Your Life is available on Yahoo! Shopping.

lastics for food and beverages

Can I use a Geiger counter to test food?

Ever since Fukushima I have wondered about the possibility of radioactive food eventually appearing or even growing the US due to fallout. How will know when it happens? Who will tell us?

This brings up the logical question - Can I use a Geiger counter to test food?

For practicable purposes the answer is no.

There is no Geiger counter out there that can reliably test for radiation in food. It is not a question of accuracy.

The problem is that it only takes a very low amount of radioactive contamination to be dangerous if consumed. The radioactivity of the food will almost always be masked by the normal background radiation (which is usually of a non harmful type).

Example:  If containment is .02 uSv/h and the background radiation is .09 uSv/h, the Geiger will detect contamination but you will not see a spike in readings (which will continue to show .09 uSv/h). It would be like looking for a drop of water in a pond.

The exception of course would be if the food was extremely radioactive. If your background environment for example, varies between .09 uSv/h and .14 uSv/h and the food sample consistently spikes it to .20 uSv/h, you know you have something you better get rid of fast.

The only way to reliably distinguish between low contamination and the normal background radiation is in a lab, where food is placed into a container that isolates it from any background interference. That is the only way.

Next comes the question of how much food. A single piece of food most likely will not give you an accurate reading if any at all. You will need a lot of food. This is because it is very possible that the radiation leaves the sample in such a direction as to miss the tube in your device. The bigger the sample, the better the chance of the device picking it up.

This principle is best explained in the video below. It clearly demonstrates why you cannot accurately measure food.:

Testing food with a Geiger counter overview 

Finally you must remember that a Geiger counter only recordes radiation. It does not tell you what type. Take a banana for example. Bananas naturally give off radiation within a small range of 0.10 uSv/h. Yet bananas however or not harmful at all because they give off potassium – 40, which your body eliminates once it reaches a certain level.

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