Did you use it incorrectly all along? Don't use cling film like this again!

Many people like to cover their food with a layer of cling film when heating it, thinking that it can lock in the moisture of the food, prevent it from tangling, and dispose of it after use, which is simple and convenient. However, if used incorrectly, this readily available convenience is actually not safe. So, how should cling film be used correctly? What should everyone pay attention to when choosing cling film?

What are the types of cling film?

There are three main types of plastic wrap commonly seen on the market: PE, PVC, and PVDC.

What we are familiar with is polyethylene PE cling film, which is the most commonly used food cling film in our homes. The characteristic is that it is usually considered relatively safe and suitable for daily use. What we buy in supermarkets is usually PE.
Another widely used type is polyvinyl chloride (PVC) cling film, which is characterized by its relatively low cost and often appears in wholesale markets, agricultural markets, fruit shops, etc. These cling films are used in large quantities and require cost savings, but due to the plasticizers they may contain, PVC cling films are not very suitable for wrapping greasy foods, especially when they cannot be heated.
The other is the "Rocket Player" PVDC fresh-keeping film with good barrier performance and strong fresh-keeping ability. Of course, the price is the highest among the three fresh-keeping films.

Can plastic wrap be heated?

You may have also heard the saying that "cling film is toxic and can cause cancer", because some types of cling film add "plasticizers" to increase flexibility, and when this type of cling film is "mistakenly used", it will stimulate the migration of plasticizers. This kind of "incorrect use" is first attributed to the issue of whether the cling film can be placed and heated together with the food.
We also conducted an experiment ourselves. Although many PE cling film packaging labels indicate that it can be heated using a microwave, if heated for a long time and the temperature exceeds 110 ° C, it can be seen that it has a hot melt phenomenon. So, for safety reasons, it is best not to use PE cling film when heating.
PVC cling films containing DEHP plasticizers do carry certain risks. The cling film made of this material contains plasticizers, which may release harmful substances at high temperatures and pose a threat to human health, such as disrupting the hormone system and causing endocrine disorders. So, it is not recommended that you heat this cling film together with the food.
In contrast, the relatively safe PVDC cling film has better performance and can withstand high temperatures ranging from 140 ° C to 180 ° C. Of course, although it can be used for heating, it is still not recommended to put it in a high-temperature oven for heating.

Will the oil in food dissolve the cling film?

Sometimes when using cling film to wrap food, a lot of oil may seep out of the surface. Is it because the oil in the food has dissolved the cling film?

Of course not. Cling film belongs to polymer materials, which are formed by the polymerization of ethylene molecules one by one, and there are gaps between the molecules of polymer materials, which can affect the quality of food“