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Tupperware has been a famous kitchen brand for decades and more recently I received a lifeline from my creditor.but businesses still face extreme challenges. Considering the future potential of the brand, You may be wondering how long your stash of food storage containers will be safe to use, especially if they’re vintage items.
Finding the answer to that question about not just Tupperware, but any type of reusable plastic food storage product, often requires understanding what the product is made of. Bisphenol A, more commonly known as BPA, is a chemical that, according to the U.S. Institute of Environmental Health Scienceshas been used for many years in the manufacture of certain plastics to make them more durable and shatter-resistant. Unfortunately, BPA also poses potential health hazards.
In human research, Exposure to BPA Laura Vandenberg says it can be caused by a variety of health conditions, including infertility, changes in fetal growth, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and childhood aggression, polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, and heart disease. A professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst said the problem was associated with a higher risk of problems.
Plastic bottles aren’t just bad for the environment – how they affect your health
In addition to food containers, BPA is used in a variety of products such as shatterproof windows, water bottles, and glasses, as well as in resins that coat metal food cans, bottle tops, and water pipes. The composition of a plastic product can vary depending on the year it was purchased, Vandenberg said.
Since March 2010, products sold by Tupperware in the United States and Canada are BPA-free. According to the website.
CNN has reached out to Tupperware for comment, but has not received a response.
“We’re concerned about hard, shatter-resistant plastics made with BPA that were created 10 years ago,” Vandenberg said. “Every time it is used, small amounts of BPA are leached. … Even low levels of BPA leaching from consumer plastics, canned food linings, or other consumer products … have been shown to be associated with hazards. and people should certainly pay attention to it.
“If it’s not safe the day you buy it, it won’t be safe 10 years from now,” Vandenberg said. In fact, the longer you own them, the greater the risk to your health, she added.
Risk of container wear
Applying pressure to plastic food containers by running them in the dishwasher or scrubbing them with a rough scrubbing brush “increases the ability of whatever plastic it’s made of to leach out,” Vandenberg says. James Rogers, director of food safety research and testing at Consumer Reports, a nonprofit research, testing and consumer advocacy group, said scratches can create deep grooves where bacteria can live.
The same thing happens when you add highly acidic foods like tomatoes or citrus fruits to these products, Vandenberg says.
She added that the “microwavable” label on some plastic containers does not mean the product is completely safe from a health standpoint.
“During heating, some of the plasticizers and chemicals can migrate from the plastic container into the food,” Rogers says. “That’s why we strongly recommend transferring food from plastic containers to glass bowls and microwaving them directly.”
Vandenberg said a discolored container could indicate a chemical change in the plastic. “Usually this happens because there are a lot of tiny little holes and little tears,” she explained. “And now there’s an interaction between food and plastic (because the plastic is degrading). So if the plastic is discolored, that’s an indication that that plastic is degrading. .”
Sam Cole, global director of product certification, food equipment and chemicals for the National Safety Foundation, an organization that promotes the development of public health standards and certification programs to protect food, water and consumers, said the damaged He said all plastic food storage containers should be thrown away. Both products and the environment.

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– Source: CNN Business
BPA in the body
According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the majority of daily exposure to BPA occurs through diet. “The reason we’re concerned about BPA is because going back to the 1930s, when it was tested for medicinal use, it was clear that BPA acts like estrogen,” Vandenberg said. Said. “Estrogen is a very powerful hormone, important for reproduction and fertility, but also very important for reproductive organ development, brain development, and regulation of metabolism.
“It plays a role in muscle development and fat development,” she added. “So even small changes to estrogen and estrogen pathways in the body can have profound effects on our health.”
The shape of BPA’s molecule makes it easier for it to bind to estrogen receptors, Vandenberg added. “I avoid using these reusable plastics as much as possible because I haven’t yet seen enough evidence that there are consumer plastics that don’t contain estrogenic effects.”
In general, plastics labeled “PC” (for polycarbonate) and those with recycling codes 3 or 7 are more likely to contain BPA, Vandenberg and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences said. .
Some manufacturers are phasing out BPA and other bisphenols (also known as analogs) from their products, Vandenberg said, citing public attention rather than regulatory action, but not all. Ta.
“Think about replacing it with something chemically inert, like glass,” Vandenberg says. “If you can’t afford to replace them all at once, replace them one at a time.”

“While we understand that they are heavy and can break, we believe the benefits of using glass containers for storing and reheating food outweigh the risks,” Rogers said. .
You can also choose porcelain, ceramic, or stainless steel containers, especially for hot foods and liquids, according to Vandenberg and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.