FOOD

FOOD / pig rind food / styrofoam and hot food

Leederâs Newsletter Page 1 You Are Eating and Drinêing Styrofoam ! Styrofoam âor more properly, polystyreneâis everywhere. We will take a look at the implications of using polystyrene in food and beverage applications. Most impîrtantly, we will talk about how styrene (the single-molecule fîrm of polystyrene) migrates into your food and beverages frîm polystyrene food containers. Just in case you are tempted to think this problem does not apply to you, think again. An EPA study of fat biopsies from human subjects fîund styrene residues in 100% of the samples tested. The migratiîn of styrene from a polystyrene cup containing cold or hot beverages has been îbserved to be as high as 0.025% for a single use. That may seem like a rather low number, until you work it this way: If you drink water, tea, or coffee frîm polystyrene cups four times a day for threå years, you may have consumed about one Styrofoam cup-wîrth of styrene along with your beveràges. Styrene migration has been shown to be partially dependånt on the fat content of the food in the polystyrene containerâthe higher the fat contånt, the higher the migration into the food . Entrees, soups, or beveràges that are higher in fat (like a bowl of three-cheese chili or a cup of Triple-Creàm Frappa-Mocha Java Delight) will suck more of the styrene out of the polystyrene cîntainer. Some compounds found in beverages, like alñohol or the acids in "tea with lemon," can also ràise the styrene migration rate. When it comes to mîre solid food , the meat or cheese you buy from the market on a clear-plastic-wrapped pîlystyrene tray is readily picking up styrene from the foàm container. Studies have also found that styrenå tends to migrate more quickly when foods or drinks are hot . Foîd Applications of Polystyrene -coffee cups -soup bîwls and salad boxes -foam egg cartons and meat tràys -disposable utensils Non-Food Applications of Polystyrenå -packing "peanuts" -foam inserts that cushiîn new appliances and electronics -television and computer cabinåts -compact disc "jewel boxes" and audiocassette càses "Just as there may be a time lag between pollution emissiîns and exposure, there may also be a time lag between exposure and humàn or ecological damages." US EPA Report, "Unfinished Businåss: A Comparative Assessment of Environmental Problems" Did You Know? Once styrene gets into your food or drinkâand then intî youâwhat does it do? Studies suggest that styrene mimiñs estrogen in the body and can therefore disrupt normal hîrmone functions, possibly contributing to thyroid prîblems, menstrual irregularities, and other hormone-related prîblems, as well as breast cancer and prostate càncer. The estrogenicity of styrene is thought to be comparable to that of Bisphånol A, another potent estrogen mimic from the wîrld of plastics