Which foods should never be wrapped with plastic wrap

At present, food sold in plastic wrap can be found everywhere in supermarkets of all sizes, and is accepted by more and more families. Just cover the food with plastic wrap to preserve its deliciousness, which greatly facilitates food preparation. However, more and more studies have found that this readily available convenience is actually not safe. Some things cannot be treated with plastic wrap. Not only does it fail to keep them fresh, but it can also cause harm to your body. Let's take a look at this below.

Health hazards of plastic wrap

In order to increase its viscosity, transparency and elasticity, a certain amount of plasticizer is added to the polyvinyl chloride cling film. The plasticizer contains a chemical agent that has a great destructive effect on the human endocrine system and will disrupt the body's hormone metabolism. After being wrapped for a long time, the oil in the food can easily dissolve the harmful substances in the plastic wrap and when heated, it will accelerate the release of chemical agents in the plasticizer into the food. After consumption, it can cause breast cancer in women, congenital defects in newborns, a decrease in sperm count in men, and even mental illness. Currently, the use of plasticizers has been restricted in Europe and is banned in South Korea.

Sort by type and reuse

At present, the cling film on the market can be roughly divided into two categories. One is ordinary cling film, which is suitable for refrigerator preservation; the other is microwave cling film, which can be used for both refrigerator preservation and microwave oven. Consumers should pay special attention to the difference in use. Plastic wrap that is not marked as suitable for microwave ovens should not be used for cooking or heating in microwave ovens. Even if some plastic wrap claims to be microwave safe, it should not be used for too long to prevent the food temperature from rising and causing the plastic wrap to melt and stick to the food. There should be at least 25 mm gap between the plastic wrap and the food surface. Choosing heat-resistant glass, porcelain plates, etc. to cover food instead of plastic wrap is an old but very effective method. This can prevent the plastic wrap from melting and the plasticizers in the plastic wrap from being absorbed by food.

Try not to heat food with plastic wrap on

Plastic wrap may contain phthalates and DEHA

Chemical substances such as food additives will produce carcinogens when heated in a microwave oven. Therefore, when food is wrapped in any plastic wrap, it is best not to cook it in a microwave or heat it in a steamer or rice cooker; even if it does not come into contact with the food, it is best to remove the plastic wrap. When storing food, use covered porcelain bowls or stainless steel containers more often. If possible, when buying meat, try to wrap it in your own paper. Food should be placed in an uncovered ceramic bowl. If it is covered with plastic wrap, do not fill it too full to avoid touching the food.

Not everything can be wrapped in plastic wrap

Apples, pears, rapeseed, leeks and other fruits and vegetables with high water content are suitable for using plastic wrap. Using plastic wrap on these fruits and vegetables can not only keep them fresh for a long time, but also increase certain nutrients in them. In the study, American scientists found that 100 grams of leek wrapped in plastic wrap had 1.33 mg more vitamin C after 24 hours than when not wrapped, and rapeseed and lettuce leaves had 1.92 mg more.

But the experimental results for radishes, cucumbers and beans were completely opposite. After 100 grams of radish wrapped in plastic wrap was stored for one day, its vitamin C content decreased by 3.4 mg, and that of beans decreased by 3.8 mg. After being stored for a day and a night, the loss of vitamin C in cucumbers was equivalent to that of 5 apples.

Instructions for using plastic wrap:

1. When heating oily food, keep the plastic wrap and food separated and avoid direct contact between the two. When food is heated, the cooking oil may reach a very high temperature, causing the plastic wrap to break and stick to the food.

2. When heating food, you should cover the container with plastic wrap, and then use a toothpick or other needle-like object to poke a few small holes in the plastic wrap to facilitate the evaporation of moisture and prevent the plastic wrap from bursting due to gas expansion.

3. The maximum heat-resistant temperature marked on each brand of cling film is different, and some differ by about 10°C. When the temperature in the microwave oven is higher, it will generally reach around 110°C. When long-term heating is required, you should pay attention to choosing cling film with higher heat resistance.