Using plastic wrap in this way is more beneficial for health

In the market, they all look the same

What's the difference between plastic wrap?

How can it be used to maintain freshness?

Online transmission

"Plastic wrap can breed bacteria" "Plastic wrap may cause cancer"

Is it true?

Come and see experts to reveal secrets for everyone ↓

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Different materials and functions

Researcher Zhong Kai, Director of the Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center, introduced in an interview that the plastic wrap sold on the market can be divided into three categories based on material:

01PE (polyethylene) cling film

Most of the products sold in supermarkets are of this type. It has good waterproof and breathable properties, especially suitable for packaging fresh fruits and vegetables, frozen food, etc.

But it is precisely because of its good breathability that it is not suitable for packaging foods with high fat content and easily damaged flavor by oxygen, such as pastries, cooked foods, etc.

PE can be used for refrigerator preservation, but cannot be used for microwave heating.

02PVC (polyvinyl chloride) cling film

Commonly found in wholesale markets, farmers' markets, and online.

The advantages are good transparency, high viscosity, and good elasticity. The disadvantage is poor thermal stability, which releases plasticizers that are not friendly to human health at high temperatures. Therefore, it cannot be packaged for meat, cooked food, greasy foods, etc., especially when used under high temperature conditions.

At present, this type of plastic wrap is mainly used for packaging vegetables and some agricultural products at room temperature.

03PVDC (Polyvinylidene Chloride) cling film

It has the characteristics of good freshness, firmness and easy adhesion, and can prevent moisture evaporation. It is mainly used for packaging and preservation of meat, cooked food, ham, and other foods.

Importantly, because its operating temperature range is between -60 to 140 ℃, it can be used for both refrigerator preservation and microwave heating.

However, the cost of this type of plastic wrap is relatively high, the processing difficulty is high, and the market share is not high.

Dispelling doubts

Compliance products ensure safety

Plastic wrap not only accelerates bacterial growth, but is also more likely to cause cancer. This statement has always been the main reason why many people tend to distance themselves from plastic wrap.

Zhong Kai explained through analysis that as a product that can come into direct contact with food, there is no need to worry about the safety of qualified plastic wrap.

01The function of plastic wrap is to inhibit rather than release or breed microorganisms such as bacteria.

The bacteria and other microorganisms present in food mostly come from the food itself, which leads to more bacteria and faster decay in food covered with plastic wrap. There are no more than three reasons:

One is that food has been invaded by microorganisms before being covered with cling film for preservation;

The second is that the storage environment is not clean or the temperature is too high;

The third issue is improper storage or use of the cling film itself, such as dusty storage environments, repeated use, and poor hand hygiene.

Zhong Kai gave an example of how overnight watermelons covered with plastic wrap can cause severe gastrointestinal discomfort, which seems to be an empirical evidence of "plastic wrap accelerating bacterial growth." However, in fact, watermelons cut with clean cutting boards and knives, covered with clean plastic wrap in a timely manner, and stored in a clean and orderly refrigerator, cannot cause rapid bacterial growth. If there is a problem, it must be that the watermelon has already been contaminated due to a certain impurity during the process from opening to storage.

02As long as it is a cling film that meets relevant national standards, it will not pose a threat to health.

The controversial and worrying issue in plastic wrap is the plasticizer (also known as plasticizer) in PVC materials.

The reason for using plasticizers is due to the need for the softness of the cling film, but there are studies that suggest that long-term exposure to plasticizers in the human body may pose anesthesia, teratogenicity, and even cancer risks.

Zhong Kai analyzed that the World Health Organization has classified "phthalate esters" in plasticizers as Category 2B carcinogens. Category 2B carcinogens have been experimentally proven to have carcinogenic effects on animals, but their carcinogenic effects on humans are not clear. The World Health Organization believes that an adult weighing 60 kilograms who consumes no more than 1.5 milligrams of "phthalates" per day for life is safe.

Nevertheless, China's national standards and relevant regulations, such as the "Food Safety Standards for the Use of Additives for Food Contact Materials and Products" (GB9685-2016), have set very strict limits on the use of plasticizers and the total migration of cling films (including the quality of chemicals such as "phthalates" that come into contact with food). That is to say, as long as it is a cling film that meets relevant national standards, it will not pose a threat to health.

apply

Proper methods can ensure worry free operation

Zhong Kai stated that it is recommended to use glass, ceramic, or microwave specialized plastic containers for heating food. If it is necessary to cover the containers with cling film, special attention should be paid to the following points:

01If there is no indication of the suitable microwave preservation film, it must not be used in the microwave.

The maximum heat resistance temperature indicated on different brands of heat-resistant plastic wrap varies, and it is recommended to choose a plastic wrap with higher heat resistance as much as possible, and the use time should not be too long.

02Maintain a certain distance from food.

In fact, regardless of whether it is used for heating or not, it is recommended to use cling film in conjunction with a deeper container, that is, keep the cling film at least two centimeters away from the food, so that it only comes into contact with the container, not the food itself.

Especially for oily foods, heating can easily cause damage to the cling film and adhesion with the food.

03Use a toothpick to pierce a few small holes.

Before heating, you can use toothpicks or other tools to pierce a few small holes in the cling film, which is conducive to water vapor evaporation. Otherwise, it is easy to cause the cling film to burst due to gas expansion, and even cause danger.

The following points should also be noted when using

Do not cover the freshly cooked hot dishes with plastic wrap.

Because covering the vegetables with cling film when they are hot not only fails to maintain vitamin C in the vegetables, but also increases their loss. You can choose heat-resistant glass, porcelain plates, etc. to replace plastic wrap covering food.

No matter which material of plastic wrap is used, it is not suitable to come into contact with alcoholic foods or wrap oily cooked foods and meat for a long time.

Wrap fresh fruits and vegetables with cling film. PVDC cling film can provide longer preservation time due to its better moisturizing properties, but it is recommended to not exceed 12 hours. The function of the cling film is to keep it fresh for a short period of time, rather than storing it for a long time.

Fruits and vegetables bought from supermarkets with plastic wrap should be thoroughly cleaned before consumption.

If fruits and vegetables are kept fresh by refrigeration or freezing, it is a safe principle to first isolate them with clean paper towels, and then use the outer layer of plastic wrap for preservation.

Not all vegetables and fruits can use plastic wrap. Research experiments have shown that fruits and vegetables with high moisture content, such as apples, pears, rapeseed, chives, and lettuce, can be kept fresh with plastic wrap, which not only preserves them for a long time but also increases the amount of nutrients such as vitamin C. However, radishes, cucumbers, beans, and others are kept fresh with plastic wrap, resulting in significant nutritional loss.

Shopping Tips

Look at the material

It can assist in identifying materials based on color, ease of rubbing, and other methods. Generally speaking, the surface of the plastic wrap that turns yellow and is difficult to unroll by hand is mostly made of PVC material, while the plastic wrap made of PE material is white and easy to unroll by hand.

For home use cling film, it is recommended to choose PE material.

Look at the appearance

Choose a cling film with intact packaging, flat surface, no bubbles, punctures, cracks, impurities, or foreign objects for easy use.

Pay attention to the production date and shelf life. Products with damaged or expired packaging bags may have bacteria and mold growth.

Freshly smelling plastic wrap that meets the standards does not have any odor. Tasty plastic wrap not only has a cross flavor with food, but also affects food safety. Therefore, it should be avoided to purchase and use.

Identification check

Pay attention to checking if there is a QS logo and production license number on the product packaging.