If the company Tupperware has just brushed the bankruptcy, one thing is certain: its name is probably not about to leave everyday language. For decades, it is under this name that many of us designate any conservation box, including when it comes from another brand. Moreover, it has also been decades that some of these boxes drag in the cupboards of our kitchens, where we use them again and again without worrying about possible risks.
Because danger there is, explains the HuffPost: depending on the type of plastic used, the food storage container is far from having the same lifespan, which can have consequences on our health. To find out what your boxes are made, consult the small mentions that are probably engraved there: you should in particular find a triangle in the heart of which is a figure between 1 and 7.
A hundred uses?
If the figure in question is a 2, a 4 or a 5, you can breathe: these numbers designate high density polyethylene (PEHD), low density polyethylene (PEBD) and polypropylene (PP), three components considered as safe and reusable. If it is another figure that appears, it is better to flank everything in the trash without asking too much questions.
Brands that offer food storage boxes are more and more trustworthy: experts indicate that it is no longer necessarily essential to provide exclusively with Tupperware or Rubbermaid, which were once absolute references. On the other hand, it is strongly advised to get rid of all the containers dating from over ten years ago, even when they seem in perfect condition.
Before the 2010s, some major brands still used bisphenol A, a chemical capable of infiltrating food and which can promote the development of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or certain cardiovascular diseases. It was for example in March 2010 that Tupperware announced that it had ceased to use this type of chemical compound to make its containers. The other main brands have done the same in the years that followed.
On the other hand, even if your boxes are more recent, it is necessary to stop using them as soon as indelible stains appear, persistent odors or even scratches, signs of degradation of plastic. In the case of intact containers, specialists explain that there is no official duration at the end of which they should be replaced, but they indicate that the number of uses should be limited. In fact, the food quality plastic containers should not have been overwhelmed or washed with hot water more than a hundred times.
In addition, using the dishwasher accelerates the degradation of plastic containers. To increase their longevity, experts advise to favor hand washing, taking care not to scratch them; In case you want to use your washing machine, however, favor the top basket, which does not heat as much as the bottom.
