Plastic dishes can certainly be classified in the list of useless things that we can do without, contributing to a greater respect for the environment and a reduction in waste, especially in the case of disposable dishes. The reasons for avoiding the use of plastic plates are not only ecological, but also for health. The combination of plastic dishes and hot food would in fact be able to increase the risk of kidney stones formation.
Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerous
I Plastic dishes can definitely be classified in the list of unnecessary things which we can do without, contributing to greater respect for the environment and a reduction in waste, especially in the case of disposable dishes. The reasons for avoiding the use of plastic plates are not only ecological, but also for health. The combination of plastic plates and hot dishes it would in fact be able to increase the risk of formation of kidney stones.
The use of plastic plates, particularly when used to serve hot food, has been linked by science to an increased risk of developing kidney stones. The reference is in particular to those plastic dishes which have a content of melamine, a molecule used in the plastics industry for the formation of resins that are also used in the production of materials in contact with food, as specified by the Ministry of Health.
Again as reported by the Ministry of Health, the problem of contamination by melamine with regard to alimony it had already been highlighted previously with regard to the food intended for animals, due to the deaths of numerous cats and dogs from melamine-contaminated feed produced in China.
No cases of acute melamine intoxication in humans have been identified so far, but its potential toxicity towards us is beginning to be investigated. The researchers of the Kaohsiung Medical University Taiwanese have indeed observed the effects of heated melamine on two groups of volunteers. They were asked to consume hot soup in plastic or ceramic dishes.
They were later picked up by volunteers, according to regular deadlines, urine samples, who showed that, 12 hours after the consumption of the soup, the levels of melamine in the urine corresponded to only 1,3 milligrams in those who had used ceramic dishes and as much as 8,35 milligrams in those who had consumed the soup served in plastic dishes.
The experts, following the experiment, highlighted how the melamine tableware can release large quantities of this substance when they are used to serve high temperature foods. The release of melamine from the dishes can be influenced both by the temperature of the food, by the presence of acidic foods, and by the quality of the dishes themselves.
The health effects of melamine absorption have not yet been fully elucidated, but previous studies have suggested its correlation to appearance of kidney stones, due to repeated exposure, even in the presence of low dosages. Experts therefore suggest that prefer ceramic dishes to serve hot dishes, in order to reduce the risk of melamine release from the dishes to the food that will be consumed.
Marta Albè
READ also:
Plastic and food: how to recognize plastics that should never be used with food
