[mb3k]

I came back from a Mexican restaraunt yesterday, my stomach extremely full, so I got a doggy bag for my leftovers. The very good looking waitress came back with it packaged in a styrofoam container and off I went.
Now it's the day after at work, lunch time, extremely hungry. There's no plates in here or anything I can really transfer my food onto... So I ask a co-worker, "is it okay to microwave food in a styrofoam conatainer?". She replies, "I would assume so, but maybe not".
I got nervous, so I came back to my desk and googled it, but there was not a conclusive decision on the sites I saw. *GRRRGGG* my stomach growls. I said screw it and threw the food in the styrofoam container in the microwave for 2 minutes and ate it.
Again, back at my desk after lunch I feel nervous that it wasn't the best idea. Does anybody know if it's bad or okay to microwave with styrofoam?

 

[Kirosia]

I'm pretty sure styroam melts.

 

[skev13]

It melts after about a minute and a half for me.

 

[Daroid]

Not sure about a microwave, but as the temperature rises, it will melt anyway as said before... see this "experiment" http://www.garieinternational.com.sg/clay/pc_foam.htm

 

[marvin]

Heating food in styrofoam is safe from a chemical/toxicity point of view. It is not listed as microwave safe because it melts at 240 C, a temperature that microwaved foods can easily exceed. That will cause melting and deformation of the styrofoam container and possibly a nasty mess, but isn't dangerous for your health.

Oh yeah, it is possible that you can heat food hot enough to make the styrofoam start burning. I probably wouldn't eat whatever I was heating in there at that point.

 

[Edwood]

Yeah, it's not the microwave that melts the styrofoam, it's the food getting really hot.

Anything greasy, and it will melt very quickly.

Watery food like a drink or soup will be fine, as long as you are not microwaving stew or something.

-Ed

 

[MD1032]

Eh, I wouldn't do it, period. The fumes caused by burning styrofoam are toxic as far as I know. Melting styrofoam probably doesn't have any ill effects, though.

 

[Wodgy]

I wouldn't do it either. Even if it doesn't melt, the heat undoubtedly increases the rate of styrene migration into the food. (Google for "styrene migration.") Styrene has a variety of negative health effects and is a suspected carcinogen and endocrine disruptor.

 

[Ingo]

Just eat all of your leftovers cold like me!

 

[yellafella321]

the polymer chain that is used to create styrofoam contains benzene, a prominent and known carcinogen. When adding this to the extreme heat that can be caused by microwaves, can release some really "bad" stuff.

Even though its often said to be safe, I would just transfer your food to a microwave safe container.

 

[Carl]

Not the smartest idea, but it's hardly going to kill you.

 

[JaGWiRE]

Eh? I've been heating up with my whole family take home food from restaurants in styrofoam for years, nothing ever melted.. Interesting.

 

[Citizen Z]

Dur... dump it on a plate ya dummy.

 

[mb3k]

It was starting to melt when my food was done... that's the first and last time I microwave in a styrofoam!

 

[Kirosia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Citizen Z Dur... dump it on a plate ya dummy.

Did you even read the first post?

Quote:

Originally Posted by mb There's no plates in here or anything I can really transfer my food onto...