It is common to use plastic containers for storing leftover food, but this is dangerous because some foods should not be mixed with plastic. Not only can your food taste off when stored in plastic, but plastic containers promote the proliferation of bacteria and mold, which increases the risk of food poisoning.
plastics contain endocrine disruptors
Health risks, loss of taste or nutritional value, plastic can harm your diet and more generally your health on a daily basis. It contains special components classified as endocrine disruptors such as bisphenols or phthalates.
,Bisphenol A was banned in food containers in 2015, but has been replaced by other bisphenols (S and F), which are perhaps just as problematic, as they are structurally similar.“, Dr. Laurent Chevalier, nutritionist, explained in a previous article.
Likewise, it’s important not to reheat your dishes directly in plastic containers, outlines Top Sante.
The heat promotes the migration of bacteria contained on the plastic to the food. “Yogurt in a plastic pot doesn’t pose too much of a problem, because the contact time between the food and the container is shorter, and the food is colder”, Laurent looked at Chevalier again.
Solution ? Monitor which foods lose their nutritional value upon contact with plastic and favor glass containers, which are more hygienic. Here are the foods that should not be stored in plastic containers:
Meat Cooked and placed in a plastic container, it will decompose more quickly and change in flavor and texture. But contact with meat when raw is also not recommended: contact with plastic will accelerate its aging.
Eggs : Avoid contact between eggs and plastic, in all its forms: hard-boiled, fried or fried; They should never be kept in plastic. Exactly the same for all egg-based foods, such as mayonnaise, due to the risk of contamination with salmonella or E. coli bacteria.
raw vegetables : Don’t put your freshly cut vegetables in plastic bins: They can become soft and wither very quickly, and then they’ll lose a great deal of their nutritional value.
Soups (and all hot dishes): Do not put it in a plastic container immediately. Wait until it cools, otherwise it will change its structure and taste if it comes into direct contact with the plastic. The same applies to all hot dishes, dishes in sauces, etc.
A kind of cheese : Closed in a plastic box, the cheese will release water that will eventually accumulate and encourage the formation of mold. Many bacteria could then contaminate the cheese. To avoid indigestion, it is best to leave the cheese in its original container or in a glass container.
Smoked Salmon: Stored in a plastic box, smoked salmon may turn brown and thus lose its freshness. To make it last longer, prefer glass cans or wrap your slices of smoked salmon in aluminum foil.
green salad: Do you have leftover salad and don’t want to throw it away? Do not keep it in a plastic box as all the freshness and crunch of the salad will disappear on its own. Even more so in sauces or vinaigrettes: the nutritional quality of the salad, as well as its flavor, is reduced when it is in a sauce.
Fruit Like raw vegetables, cut fruits do not keep well in plastic containers. It is best to keep them in a basket at room temperature. When closed, they will wither and lose flavor, but above all their vitamins.
curd : If you make your own yogurts, it is recommended to store them in small glass or ceramic jars to limit the spread of bacteria. Similarly if you want to transfer the rest of the pot of fromage blanc to a smaller container: temperature changes that could be dangerous.
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