Disposable plastic lunch boxes (hereinafter referred to as "lunch boxes") belong to plastic disposable tableware. They are disposable tableware made of resin or other thermoplastic materials through thermoplastic molding. They have the advantages of easy processing, high production efficiency, low cost, light weight, and not easy to break. They are often used as the main food containers in the takeaway industry. Common lunch boxes on the market mainly include: polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), etc. When purchasing and using lunch boxes, in addition to paying attention to the fact that the lunch boxes are contaminated by microorganisms due to poor hygiene conditions, and the chemical substances in the lunch boxes may migrate into the food, thereby affecting food safety, you also need to pay attention to the following issues:
Purchase Tips
1. Look at the packaging: When purchasing lunch boxes, you should choose products with intact packaging, pay attention to the production date and shelf life, and avoid choosing products that have exceeded the shelf life to prevent bacteria and mold.
2. Look at the label: Check whether the product name, material, name, address and contact information of the producer and (or) distributor, production date and shelf life (when applicable) are marked in accordance with the requirements of my country's national food safety standard GB 4806.1-2016 "National Food Safety Standard General Safety Requirements for Food Contact Materials and Products".
3. Look at the appearance: You should choose lunch boxes with a smooth surface and uniform color, and try to choose colorless and transparent products without decorative patterns.
4. Smell: You can smell it first to see if there is any strange smell or odor. Normal lunch boxes should be odorless and tasteless. Using smelly lunch boxes to hold food may affect food safety, so you should avoid buying and using them.
Usage tips
●1. Pay attention to the use temperature of lunch boxes made of different materials. Lunch boxes made of PP have a higher use temperature and can hold hot rice and hot dishes. The PS lunch box is hard and easy to break. It starts to soften when the use temperature reaches 75℃. The food should be cooled to room temperature before being put into the PS lunch box. Try not to heat the food in the microwave with the box. It has good low-temperature performance and is suitable for storing refrigerated food.
●2. Different food ingredients have requirements for lunch boxes. Foods with high fat and sugar content are not suitable for lunch boxes because the boiling point of oil can easily exceed the heat resistance limit of plastic. The oil, sugar in food and plasticizers in lunch boxes are all organic substances. According to the principle of like dissolves like, they may react chemically with the lunch box, which poses potential risks to public health and food safety.
