Can disposable lunch boxes go in the microwave?

Eating out, can not finish or order more, is a common thing, a waste, and too bad, naturally think of packing away.

However, what kind of packing box is better? How to pack to ensure food safety? This is one of the instructions, here to tell you a little.

 

What are the materials of packing boxes on the market?

If you are interested in turning the plastic containers over to look at them, you will find that they have markings on the bottom or the side near the bottom.

 

There is a common international classification of plastics, and different numbered signs indicate different materials of plastics, with 1 to 7 in the center of the graphic being the labels for the different categories.

 

No. 1 polyethylene terephthalate (PET): mineral water, fruit juice, carbonated beverages, and plastic bottles are made of it;

No. 2 high-density polyethylene (HDPE): common barrels of bottled water barrels, it is used;

No. 3 polyvinyl chloride (PVC): the general plastic piping plastic;

No. 4 polyethylene (PE): plastic bags, plastic film, and milk buckets are used;

No. 5 polypropylene (PP): this is the most heat-resistant plastic, the most heat-resistant. This is the most heat-resistant material. Microwave heating plastic utensils are commonly made of it.

6 polystyrene (PS): now many milk tea cup lids with it;

7 often refers to polycarbonate (PC) and other types of plastic: most of the baby bottles use PC as a raw material.

Three of these materials, No. 1, No. 5, and No. 6, are mainly used in common packing boxes on the market today, and they are all relatively safe.

 

 

Can these 3 types of containers be used for heating?

No. 5 plastic is more heat resistant and can withstand temperatures of around 200 degrees Celsius, so it can be heated in a microwave oven, and repeated reheating is not a major problem.

No.1, No.6, and other plastics are less heat resistant and should not be heated directly or filled with food that is too hot and, of course, should not be used repeatedly.

If you can't tell what kind of material you're using, it's a good idea to reheat the food you've packed in a pan, or put it on a plate or bowl and microwave it for later consumption.

 

Do I need to choose a box according to the food?

Since the temperature of food is usually not too high, it is usually not necessary to choose the packaging box according to the food.

However, for foods with high fat content that require high-temperature heating, it is best not to heat them directly in a box.

As some of the components in plastic products are fat-soluble, if the food is high in fat, it is very conducive to their dissolution, although not necessarily harmful, but also not a good thing.

It is recommended that it is best not to serve foods with a lot of fat, such as hairy blood wanton, boiled pork cutlet, and other such foods with a lot of oil in the soup, so you do not want to pack all the fat in the soup into the packing box.

 

How long must it go into the refrigerator?

Packed home meals, of course, should be put into the refrigerator to keep cold.

However, how long is it better to put in the refrigerator? The basic principle is to do it as soon as possible.

Because packaged meals are easily exposed to the air after being eaten by many people, it's best to put them in the refrigerator right away to keep them cold.

In short, put the refrigerator as soon as possible as soon as possible, do not procrastinate, and the next time, be sure to reheat fully cooked, in order to feel safe to eat.

 

Is a paper food box safe?

Nowadays, paper food boxes are very popular, such as pizza, burgers, and other food packaging will be used.

Paper boxes are not entirely paper, but also have a plastic film called "polyethylene coating" on their surface.

Polyethylene coating is a relatively new process whereby a thin layer of polyethylene plastic (the aforementioned material #4, PE) is coated on the paper surface of the box when it is molded, which is equivalent to having a plastic film covering the paper surface.

The big advantage of the PE coating is that it can handle both cold and hot beverages with ease. It can withstand temperatures of around 90 degrees and is also very watertight, so it's safe to use for packing food.

However, it is not particularly heat resistant, so it is not recommended to heat it directly in the microwave.