Are you guilty of the plastic addiction sin? Ask yourself if you are someone who cannot do without items of plastic in your daily activities. Do you accept hot food takeaways or online take-outs packaged in plastic containers? Whether for economic reasons or convenience to all involved, food packed by restaurants for takeaways or online orders often arrives in plastic containers, with several items at the supermarket wrapped in a plastic cling film. We now know that plastic takeaway containers, especially when exposed to heat, can leach harmful chemicals like BPA (Bisphenol A), phthalates, and styrene into food. These chemicals have been linked to hormonal disruptions, metabolic issues, and other health concerns.
If you do get food this way, you may be inviting serious health troubles, says a study published in ‘Science Direct’ by the Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China.
The study says that disposable plastic containers could be leaching dangerous chemicals into your takeaway food, potentially increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease.
The researchers claim that they carried out experiments on rats, and found evidence that drinking water exposed to the various chemical additives that seep from heated plastic packaging causes changes to the body, which begin with altered gut bacteria.
Rodents that were fed this cocktail of plastic contaminants for just 90 days showed broken or misaligned fibres, inflammatory cell infiltration, and mitochondrial swelling in their heart tissue. Researchers also found bleeding between myocardial cells.
Researchers have not carried out the same experiment on humans, but the findings of the study suggest that heated plastic containers may not be a safe vehicle for food. They suggest, “It is essential to avoid using plastic containers for high-temperature food.”
Why This Study Was Undertaken
An earlier survey involving 3,179 older adults in China showed that those with higher exposure to plastic were more likely to suffer congestive heart failure. “Building on this finding, we conducted an experimental study with SD rats, exposing them to leachates from DPTC (disposable plastic takeout containers) that had been in contact with boiling water for different durations, simulating typical plastic exposure over three months,” the researchers said.
The researchers thus conducted a two-part investigation — surveying over 3,000 people in China and performing experiments on rats to understand the connection between plastic food containers and heart disease. The researchers said a previous study had revealed that microwaving plastic containers for 3 minutes could release as many as 4.22 million microplastics per square centimetre, showing how harmful it is to heat food inside plastic containers.
Shocking Findings That We Must Take Note Of
The researchers found that microplastics from food containers can leach into food and enter the gut, potentially causing damage to the gut lining. Plastic chemicals alter gut microbiota, causing inflammation that damages the circulatory system. This damage can increase intestinal permeability, allowing harmful particles to enter the bloodstream and trigger inflammatory responses that may harm the circulatory system.
How Plastics Have Become Indispensable To Our Lifestyles
The last century saw modern technological society evolve, and plastics have been at the heart of this development. Plastics displaced traditional materials like metal, wood, glass and brick in many applications. In the latter half of the 20th century, while plastic was becoming more prevalent, it was still considered relatively rare and expensive compared to today’s standards, as mass production and widespread availability were still developing, making plastic a luxury item for some people. But today, you can name few sectors where plastics have not encroached.
As plastic waste production rises worldwide and plastic product usage becomes more prevalent, humans and animals are increasingly exposed to microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs). This heightened exposure is associated with cardiovascular diseases, presenting a new environmental risk factor for human heart health.
Lessons For Humankind
The China researchers said that plastic exposure is definitely a risk factor for cardiovascular disease; and that, to prevent ongoing harm from plastic products to human health, it is essential to avoid using plastic containers for high-temperature food, reduce the use of plastic products in daily life, and implement timely plastic pollution control measures.
Healthier Alternatives To Plastic Takeaway Boxes
Stainless Steel Containers – Durable, non-reactive, and reusable. Ideal for hot and cold food. Many restaurants now offer tiffin services with steel boxes.
Glass Containers – Heat-resistant, microwave-safe, and non-toxic. Some takeout places provide glass options for deposit-based returns.
Paper-Based Or Biodegradable Containers – Made from compostable materials like bagasse (sugarcane fibre), bamboo, or recycled paperboard. Good for dry and semi-wet food but might not hold liquids well.
Cloth-Wrapped Or Banana-Leaf Packaging – A traditional and eco-friendly method, especially for items like sandwiches, rice, or snacks. Adds a natural flavour to food.
Silicone Containers – BPA-free, heat-resistant, and flexible. Though synthetic, food-grade silicone is considered safer than plastic.
Compostable Bioplastics (PLA - Polylactic Acid) – Made from cornstarch or sugarcane, these are an alternative to petroleum-based plastics, but they require specific composting facilities.
What You Can Do
These are suggestions that you could alter or mould as per your requirement and possibilities in the scenario that you operate in.
- Request restaurants to use sustainable packaging
- Carry your own steel or glass container for takeout
- Avoid reheating food in plastic containers
- Support eateries that use eco-friendly packaging
The writer is a senior independent journalist.