Food Toxicology 2(2+0)

Lesson 28 : Food packaging material – potential contaminants from food packaging material

Recommendations for the use of plastics in microwave ovens

• Use only microwave-safe utensils.
• While some packaging films may be labelled 'microwave-safe' care should be taken to avoid direct contact with the food when using them to cover containers or to reheat dinners on plates. Clean white absorbent kitchen paper may be a preferable alternative to prevent spatter.
• As migration is more likely to occur into hot fatty foods, glass containers are a suitable choice for heating these products.
• There are as yet no standards for claims such as "microwave safe"; if you are in doubt as to the safety of such materials you should contact the manufacturer for more details.


• Recently shelf-stable microwaveable foods have also appeared on supermarket shelves. These involve more complex packaging systems which have been specially designed for use at high temperatures. They are therefore quite safe for microwave heating when manufacturers' instructions are followed.