We have often been warned about the potential dangers of cooking or freezing foods and drinks in plastic. John Hopkins has added weight to the argument by advising that there should be no:
- Plastic containers in microwave
- Water bottles in freezer
- Clingfilm in microwave.
The principal concern is that consuming the Dioxin Chemicals in plastic causes cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic.
Dioxins are particularly bad for us and we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat because the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body.
Instead use glass or ceramic containers for heating food - you get the same results, only without the dioxin. Foods packed in plastic should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass. Many fast food restaurants have moved away from foam containers to paper due to concerns about dioxin poisoning.
Clingfilm is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.