Cling film and health

With the popularization of refrigerators and microwaves, food preservation films are becoming increasingly widely used. On fresh food and semi-finished food counters in supermarkets, cling film is an essential packaging material. The word "fresh" in cling film gives people an easily accepted sense of security. Actually, they all come from ethylene masterbatch. Does this substance pose a safety hazard to the human body? Let's continue to understand the related products derived from it.

Plastic wrap and bags are commonly used plastic packaging products for food preservation, and many families cannot do without them now. Microwave ovens are used for heating food, and they are also used for storing food in the refrigerator. However, sometimes there are quality or material issues with the cling film or bag itself, which can pose safety hazards to the food wrapped in it.

It is understood that the vast majority of cling films currently sold on the market, like commonly used plastic bags, are made from ethylene masterbatch as the raw material. According to the different types of ethylene masterbatch, cling films are divided into three categories.

The first type is polyethylene, abbreviated as PE, which is mainly used for food packaging, such as the plastic wrap used for fruits and vegetables we usually buy, as well as semi-finished products purchased in supermarkets.

The second type is polyvinyl chloride, abbreviated as PVC, which can also be used for food packaging, but it cannot heat or come into contact with oily foods.

The third type is polyvinylidene chloride, abbreviated as PVDC, mainly used for packaging some cooked foods, ham, etc.

Experts explain that among these three types of cling films, PE and PVDC are safe for human health and can be used with confidence. However, PVC cling film is not suitable for all food products due to usage methods, limitations, and other factors.

Consumers mainly distinguish between polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride products when purchasing cling films on a daily basis. There are generally three ways to choose safe cling film, which are "look, touch, and burn".

1 Look, see if it has a product description. If it is covered with PE or polyethylene cling film, you can use it with confidence.

II "Touch": Polyethylene cling film generally has poor viscosity and transparency, making it easy to open when rubbed by hand, while polyvinyl chloride cling film has better transparency and viscosity, making it difficult to unfold when rubbed by hand and easily sticking to the hands.

III After igniting the polyethylene cling film with fire, the flame turns yellow and will not go out even when it leaves the fire source. There is dripping oil and no pungent odor.

Experts believe that when using microwave cling film, it is also important to avoid contact between food and the film, especially for oily foods. When heating food, the plastic wrap covering the container should be punctured with a few small holes to prevent bursting.

Finally, when consuming, attention should also be paid to the temperature that the cling film can withstand when heated, strictly following the temperature indicated on the brand, or choosing a cling film with better heat resistance.