Yes, you can microwave Styrofoam, but there are a few things you need to keep in mind to ensure that your food doesn’t get contaminated.
Microwave is a fast and convenient way to heat and reheat meals. It comes in handy when you want to simplify your kitchen work.
You can quickly serve your guests or family without having to transfer food to pots and saucepans for reheating.
However, there comes a time when you are unsure of whether certain things are microwave-safe or not.
With that said, Styrofoam is one of the most debatable materials, and you might wonder if it’s safe to use it in a microwave.
You don’t want to reheat your delicious foods or drinks in containers made of hazardous materials.
Now, if you often buy foods packed in Styrofoam containers or are just wondering if you can use this material in a microwave, you have come to the right page.
Continue reading to find out what Styrofoam really is and learn some safety tips to follow when microwaving such containers.
What is Styrofoam?
Styrofoam is a polystyrene foam mainly used in the construction industry. For many years, Styrofoam has often been used to refer to the expanded polystyrene foam.
Expanded polystyrene foam is usually added into molds to produce plates, containers, and takeaway cups.
Styrofoam containers are easy and cheap to manufacture and can keep foods and beverages warm for longer than most packaging materials would.
However, there have been rising issues on the use of Styrofoam as this material takes longer to decompose and has some potential health risks.
Health experts have also raised concerns about the risk of Styrofoam containers leaking toxic compounds into foods when heated.
Fortunately, there are two types of Styrofoam in the market today, including traditional and microwave-safe.
Traditional Styrofoam uses polystyrene foam, which releases harmful chemicals like styrene and benzene when exposed to heat.
The microwave-safe Styrofoam is a modern version that uses safer materials to withstand the microwave heat and warm your food more effectively.
Can You Microwave Styrofoam?
Yes, you can microwave Styrofoam. However, you need to ensure that the Styrofoam container is labeled micro-wave safe before using it for heating or reheating food in the microwave.
It’s important to check whether your Styrofoam cups or plates are made of microwave-safe material to prevent the toxic chemicals from leaking into your food.
If you decide to reheat food in a Styrofoam container, plate, or cup, you should ensure that it doesn’t exceed 30 minutes in the microwave.
Heating Styrofoam containers for more than 30 minutes can have a harmful impact, even if the material is labeled microwave safe.
What Happens When You Microwave Food in Styrofoam?
Nothing dangerous will happen when you microwave food in Styrofoam, provided the container is has a microwave-safe label and you don’t exceed 30 minutes.
However, microwaving food in traditional Styrofoam will result in the release of hazardous compounds to your meal.
The toxic compounds will then trigger various health conditions in your body, such as digestive problems, vision difficulties, reduced fertility, cancerous symptoms, and other issues.
If you want to microwave food in Styrofoam, continue reading to discover some tips to do it safely.
Tips to Microwave Styrofoam for 30 Seconds
As you have learned above, Styrofoam is not an ideal microwaving material as it releases harmful chemicals when heated.
If you want to microwave Styrofoam cups and plates to reheat food, you’ll need to follow these essential safety tips:
- Check the Label
You should always look for the label to confirm whether the Styrofoam cup or plate you intend to use is microwave-safe.
Most traditional Styrofoam containers that are not microwave-safe usually have a disclaimer to warn you.
And while it’s easy to assume that all new Styrofoam plates or cups are microwave-safe, we recommend checking first.
So, there is no harm in heating coffee or noodles in a Styrofoam cup that has a microwave-safe label.
- Avoid Overheating
When microwaving food in Styrofoam, you should heat for about 30 minutes or less. Letting the Styrofoam heat for more than 30 minutes will have a dangerous effect.
This is because the Styrofoam will leak compounds like styrene and benzene, which are lethal to your health.
Moreover, reheating Styrofoam up to 200 degrees Celsius will cause melting, and your food will have more toxic chemicals.
- Confirm Whether the Styrofoam is FDA-Approved
If you want to ensure that your Styrofoam container is microwave safe, you should check whether it’s FDA-approved or not.
The FDA-approved label guarantees safety as the material must be tested and evaluated before approval.
- Leave a Small Opening
While most people like to cover the food entirely as it heats, enclosed steam can accelerate chemical release from Styrofoam containers.
Ventilation can make the microwaving process safer as the small opening will let out the steam and prevent Styrofoam from overheating.
How to Reheat Food Safely
Here are some of the best methods to reheat food without the risk of chemical exposure:
- Use a Microwave-Safe Plate or Bowl
If you are worried about toxic compounds that Styrofoam containers may release, you should use a microwave-safe plate or bowl to reheat your food.
The best microwave-safe bowls and plates are made of glass, ceramic, or Pyrex.
You can also check a microwave-safe label on your Styrofoam container if you don’t want to transfer the food to another plate.
- Reheat Food in the Oven with an Oven-Safe Container
Reheating food in the oven with an oven-safe container is a safe way to keep your food clean and healthy.
It can save you from any potential risks that Styrofoam containers pose when heated. You can transfer your meal into a baking tray and heat it in the oven.
If you don’t want the food to dry up, you can cover it with foil before heating to preserve some moisture.
- Use a Saucepan on the Stove
Another safe yet effective way to reheat food is by using a saucepan on the stove. It’s the safest way to reheat stews and soups, and other foods while ensuring that no harmful chemicals leak in them.
However, you should keep the heat low to avoid burning the food or sprinkle some water before covering and heating the food.
- Use a Skillet
Skillets work great for pizzas and pancakes. You just need to keep the heat low to prevent overcooking and sprinkle some water before covering with the lid.
The best thing about the skillet is that you can use it to reheat most types of food, including meat, chicken, pasta, and more.
- Scan the Container for Cracks
If you have a microwave Styrofoam or plastic container, you may want to check whether it has any cracks or cuts before reheating your food.
A crack or cut may lead to chemical leach even if the container is microwave safe. Hence you should never reheat your food in a container that has a crack or cut, even if it’s a small one.
- Drain the Container Before Reheating
When your food gets hot, excess liquid may lead to pressure build-up, which can be very risky in a microwave.
Draining the container will prevent the food in it from erupting. If your food has a lot of moisture, you should leave a small opening for steam release.
FAQs
Q: How Do I Know If My Styrofoam is Microwave Safe?
A: To know whether your Styrofoam is microwave safe, you need to look for a label at the bottom of the container.
The microwave-safe label on Styrofoam usually looks like a microwave featuring wavy lines in plates, cups, and containers. If the container has it, then you should feel free to microwave your food in it.
Nonetheless, the symbol may vary as Styrofoam containers are manufactured in different parts of the world.
Q: Is Number 6 Styrofoam Microwave Safe?
A: No, number 6 Styrofoam isn’t microwave-safe, and overwhelming evidence shows that it can leach toxic compounds when heated.
If it’s microwave safe, the manufacturer will always include a symbol to let you know. Hence, it’s unwise to microwave number 6 Styrofoam without checking if it has a microwave-safe label.
Heating Styrofoam is not always harmful, but it can expose you to potential health conditions, especially if you overheat it.
Q: Is It Okay If I Microwave Styrofoam for 30 Seconds?
A: Yes, it’s okay to microwave Styrofoam for 30 seconds, but only if the container has a microwave-safe or FDA-Approved label.
Heating your food in Styrofoam for 30 seconds or less ensures that the container doesn’t melt and harmful compounds don’t leak into your meal.
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Final Thoughts
Styrofoam is popular in the food industry as it makes it easy to pack foods and beverages. It also keeps the food warm for a longer time due to its insulating properties.
Today, some Styrofoam containers use safer materials. Such Styrofoam plates, cups, or containers are microwave safe but should not be heated for more than 30 minutes.
Always keep in mind that most Styrofoam containers aren’t microwave-safe as they leach harmful compounds. We don’t recommend heating a Styrofoam container that lacks a microwave-safe label.
