2315 Stockton Boulevard
Sacramento, California 95817
Plastic Wrap Toxins. Author/s: Jule Klotter Issue: Jan, 2001
As a seventh grade student, Claire Nelson learned that
di(ethylhexyl)adepate DEHA), considered a carcinogen, is found in plastic
wrap. She also learned that the FDA had never studied the effect of
microwave cooking on plastic-wrapped food. Claire began to wonder: "Can
cancer-causing particles seep into food covered with household plastic
wrap while it is being microwaved?"
Three years later, with encouragement from her high school
science teacher, Claire set out to test what the FDA had not. Although
she had an idea for studying the effect of microwave radiation on
plastic-wrapped food, she did not have the equipment. Eventually, Jon
Wilkes at the National Center for Toxicological Research in Jefferson,
Arkansas, agreed to help her.
The research center, which is affiliated with the FDA, let her
use its facilities to perform her experiments, which involved microwaving
plastic
wrap in virgin olive oil. Claire tested four different plastic wraps and
found not just the carcinogens but also xenoestrogen was migrating into
the oil...." Xenoestrogens are linked to low sperm counts in men and to
breast cancer in women.
Throughout her junior and senior years, Claire made a couple of trips
each week to the research center, which was 25 miles from her home, to
work on her experiment. An article in Options reported that "her analysis
found that DEHA was migrating into the oil at between 200 parts and 500
parts per million.
The FDA standard is 0.05 parts per billion." Her summarized results
have been published in science journals. Claire Nelson received the
American Chemical Society's top science prize for students during her
junior year and fourth place at the International Science and
Engineering Fair (Fort Worth, Texas) as a senior. "Carcinogens -- At
10,000,000 Times FDA Limits" Options May
2000. Published by People Against Cancer, 515-972-4444
============
On Channel 2 (Huntsville, AL) this morning they had a Dr. Edward
Fujimoto from Castle Hospital on the program. He is the manager of the
Wellness Program at the hospital. He was talking about dioxins and how
bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in
the microwave using plastic containers. This applies to foods that
contain fat.
He said that the combination of fat, high heat and plastics releases
dioxins into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Dioxins
are carcinogens and highly toxic to the cells of our bodies. Instead, he
recommends using glass, Corning Ware, or ceramic containers for heating
food.
You get the same results without the dioxins. So such things as TV
dinners, instant saimin and soups, etc., should be removed from the
container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't
know what i s in the paper. Just safer to use tempered glass, Corning
Ware, etc. He said we might remember when some of the fast food
restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper.
The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.
Pass this on to your friends....
To add to this: Saran wrap placed over foods as they are nuked, with the
high heat, actually drips poisonous toxins into the food. Use a
paper towel instead.
