Fire4Food: Bottom's up

I'm not sure if any of you ever noticed all the different kinds of markings at the bottom of some plastic items?
Well, I'm going to tell you what they mean and which ones you should try to avoid- unless you are fond of the non biodegradable chemicals that may leach from the plastic into your food... into your body.

Here is the list of symbols. You should find at least one on all plastic products you buy. (Some may have 2 if made up of different parts, i.e.: the plastic bottle lid is different from the bottle itself).

You should not buy food products packed in plastic that does not have any markings on it! And you should also make the shop buyer aware that so they can inform their supplier - who more than likely bought cheap to make an extra buck.... at the expense of your health!
(Many of the bottles that line our supermarket shelves are NOT marked here in SA)

So, you may never have heard of a chemical called bisphenol A (BPA), but odds are it’s circulating in your body if you are older than 6 years old.
Plastic is the most widely used material these days, and it crops up in everything from toys to clothes to food containers. But not all plastics are created equal, particularly in regards to food storage: Some plastics can transmit chemicals into your food, while others are perfectly safe.
Before you know which type of plastic container to buy, you first need to know how to tell them apart. Plastics are typically classified by a number from #1 to #7, each number representing a different type of resin. That number is usually imprinted on the bottom of your container; flip it upside down, and you'll see a recycling triangle with the number in the middle.

Here's a quick breakdown of plastic resin types:

#1 polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE)
Product examples: Disposable soft drink and water bottles, cough-syrup bottles
#1 bottles and containers are fine for SINGLE USE! Water and soda bottles in particular are hard to clean, and because plastic is porous, these bottles absorb flavors and bacteria that you can't get rid of.
Many people reuse these as water bottles, rather don't. Get yourself a glass bottle instead.

#2 high density polyethylene (HDPE)/
Product examples: Milk jugs, toys, liquid detergent bottles, shampoo bottles
#4 low density polyethylene (LDPE)
Product examples: Cling wrap, grocery bags, sandwich bags
#5 polypropylene (PP)
Product examples: Syrup bottles, yogurt cups/tubs, diapers
#2HDPE, #4LDPE and #5PP
These three types of plastic are the healthiest. They transmit no known chemicals into your food

#3 polyvinyl chloride (V or PVC)
Product examples: Meat wrap, cooking oil bottles, plumbing pipes.
#3 polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is often used frequently in cling wraps for meat. However, PVC contains softeners called phthalates that interfere with hormonal development. Vinyl chloride, the primary building block of PVC, is a known human carcinogen.
Try get meat direct from your butcher. Buy glass bottled cooking oil.

#6 polystyrene (PS)
Product examples: Disposable coffee cups, clam-shell take-out containers.
Extruded polystyrene (#6 PS; commonly known as Styrofoam) is used in take-out containers and cups, and Non-extruded PS is used in clear disposable take-out containers, disposable plastic cutlery and cups.
Both forms of PS can leach styrene into food; styrene is considered a possible human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. It may also disrupt hormones or affect reproduction.
(How often have you seen small kids eating the edges of these PS cups at parties!! If you have small Kids then perhaps #2 Plastic cups are a much better option at your next Kids birthday party!)

#7 other (misc.; usually polycarbonate, or PC, but also polylactide, or PLA, plastics made from renewable resources)
Product examples: Baby bottles, some reusable water bottles, stain-resistant food-storage containers, medical storage containers.

#7 Polycarbonate (PC) *is found in baby bottles*, 20lt water bottles, water-cooler bottles and the epoxy linings of tin food cans. PC is composed of a hormone-disrupting chemical called bisphenol A, which has been linked to a wide variety of problems such as cancer and obesity. ( in October 2011 BPA plastics in the production of BABY BOTTLES was banned in South Africa.... but still check because you know that many retailers care more about a quick buck than the law!) Read about SA Gov. ban on baby BPA
A scientific panel of advisors comprised in 2005 appointed by a branch of the National Institutes of Health (NIH - usa) has concluded that the leaching of BPA could pose some very real, very serious health risks. At enormous risk are pregnant women, fetuses, infants and children, where even small amounts were shown to cause changes in neurological growth and behavioral problems such as hyperactivity , ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning disorders . Animal studies have linked serious alterations to brain development caused by the estrogen-like chemicals of BPA, causing pre-cancerous changes in the mammary glands and damaging the uterus. BPA was also shown to affect the female reproductive system in other dire manifestations including; fibroids, endometriosis, cystic ovaries and cancers. In the U.S. and Japan researchers have detected BPA in fetal amniotic fluid and umbilical cords of newborns. Other studies have found links to prostate and breast cancer. In Europe, the European Union has banned a chemically related substance called Phthalates from children's products.

#7 Polycarbonate (PC) is found in baby bottles, 20lt water bottles, water-cooler bottles and the epoxy linings of tin food cans. PC is composed of a hormone-disrupting chemical called bisphenol A, which has been linked to a wide variety of problems such as cancer and obesity.
( in October 2011 BPA plastics in the production of BABY BOTTLES was banned in South Africa.... but still check because you know that many retailers care more about a quick buck than the law!) Read about SA Gov. ban on baby BPA

A scientific panel of advisors comprised in 2005 appointed by a branch of the National Institutes of Health (NIH - usa) has concluded that the leaching of BPA could pose some very real, very serious health risks. At enormous risk are pregnant women, fetuses, infants and children, where even small amounts were shown to cause changes in neurological growth and behavioral problems such as hyperactivity , ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning disorders .
Animal studies have linked serious alterations to brain development caused by the estrogen-like chemicals of BPA, causing pre-cancerous changes in the mammary glands and damaging the uterus. BPA was also shown to affect the female reproductive system in other dire manifestations including; fibroids, endometriosis, cystic ovaries and cancers. In the U.S. and Japan researchers have detected BPA in fetal amniotic fluid and umbilical cords of newborns.
Other studies have found links to prostate and breast cancer.
In Europe, the European Union has banned a chemically related substance called Phthalates from children's products.

BPA is found in so many household products alone, but here are a few steps you can take to reduce your contact.
* Don't use plastic cling wrap, use waxed paper or paper towels.

* Don't use plastic containers in microwaves. Use glass or ceramic. (Lol!! Also... don't use a Microwave: Read here )

* Use non- polycarbonate plastics such as polypropylene and polyethylene. Most major plastic consumer goods manufacturers now offer non-polycarbonate alternatives for drinking bottles, microwave bowls, and plastic liners.

* You can check for BPA in the plastics you buy by looking for the # 7 stamped on the surface.

* Cut down on canned foods. To keep food from reacting with the metal of the can, a plastic coating made from bisphenol A is commonly applied to the inside of the can. This coating appears as a solid color on the inside of the can, and can leach into the food stored inside.

Storage containers with the food safe logo on them are cool to use: