Question for the smart people on this forum :)

[rwalters]

I place food into a microwave safe bowl.

I cover the bowl with Saran Wrap.

I place the bowl in the Microwave for a few minutes to get the food nice and hot.

Watching the Saran Wrap covered bowl in the microwave, I begin to see the Saran Wrap balloon up from what I would assume is the thermal expansion taking place.

After a few minutes the microwave is done and the food is piping hot. 

I let the bowl sit in the microwave for 2-3 minutes before removing.

When I come to retrieve the bowl, the Saran Wrap is no longer ballooning, nor has it simply returned to where is started.  Instead, it has now formed a tight suction on the bowl, almost like my food is vacuum sealed.

Why does it do that?  What is going on?

Yes, I could Google it, but I thought I'd ask here first

[Lantern]

It's because there is steam blowing up the wrap and a little escapes during this time. When it cools you have less air in the bowl than you started with once the air cools and steam dissipates. This is a very crude explanation BTW......didn't wanna bore ya.

[TMB]

I never nuke anything in a plastic bowl or even cover it in plastic wrap but Lantern is right

[rwalters]

It's because there is steam blowing up the wrap and a little escapes during this time. When it cools you have less air in the bowl than you started with once the air cools and steam dissipates. This is a very crude explanation BTW......didn't wanna bore ya.

Makes perfect sense... almost like a like a low-tech vacuum sealer.  Thanks for satisfying my curiosity

[smokeasaurus]

My wife (LVN) says to never ever ever heat food up in plastic. She says to always use glass.

[rwalters]

My wife (LVN) says to never ever ever heat food up in plastic. She says to always use glass.

Uh oh, I’ve been doing it for years!

What’s her reasoning behind it?

[Big Dawg]

My wife (LVN) says to never ever ever heat food up in plastic. She says to always use glass.

Uh oh, I’ve been doing it for years!

What’s her reasoning behind it?

Many people think that there are some chemicals in some plastics that, when microwaved, somehow get into your food.

Like you, I've been microwaving in plastic for years and have not seen a side effects to me, personally.  But then I use aluminum foil on the grill and in the oven all the time, too.





BD

[teesquare]

NO GONNA GO FULL BLOWN GEEK HERE..BUT:

Plastics contain chemical compounds called "plasticizers". They are the component fo the plastics that give plastics their flexibility .These plasticizers have a less secure molecular bond than than other components int he chemical compound that make up the plastics we use. So, they can become un-bound/disconnected from the long chain of molecules making up the plastic. This can occur under heat, or various forms of radiation. ( UV, infrared, direct heat, etc... as well as ozone exposure just to name a few causes.)

Now, they can wind up in the food. Not a good thing in general - since we do not know the long term effects. But we do know that our bodies were not designed to recognize plastics as a natural material  - so the body likely does not know what to do with them. This is not a favorable biologic condition. There are studies that suggest that when confronted with chemicals the body does not recognize, the y often are stored in the liver or other organs, and fatty tissues. Postulations lean toward a carcinogenic outcome as a possibility.

[rwalters]

NO GONN GO FULL BLOWN GEEK HERE..BUT:

Plastics contain chemical compounds called "plasticizers". They are the component fo the plastics that give plastics their flexibility .These plasticizers have a less secure molecular bond than than other components int he chemical compound that make up the plastics we use. So, they can become un-bound/disconnected from the long chain of molecules making up the plastic. This can occur under heat, or various forms of radiation. ( UV, infrared, direct heat, etc... as well as ozone exposure just to name a few causes.)

Now, they can wind up in the food. Not a good thing in general - since we do not know the long term effects. But we do know that our bodies were not designed to recognize plastics as a natural material  - so the body likely does not know what to do with them. This is not a favorable biologic condition. There are studies that suggest that when confronted with chemicals the body does not recognize, the y often are stored in the liver or other organs, and fatty tissues. Postulations lean toward a carcinogenic outcome as a possibility.

This makes a ton of sense!  Much like consuming artificial sweeteners, our bodies simply don't know how to respond to it.  "This is not a favorable biological condition" really sums it up well.  Perhaps I'll think twice before using plastic in the microwave again.  Smoke and Tee, thanks for the warning and explanation!

[HighOnSmoke]

NO GONN GO FULL BLOWN GEEK HERE..BUT:

Plastics contain chemical compounds called "plasticizers". They are the component fo the plastics that give plastics their flexibility .These plasticizers have a less secure molecular bond than than other components int he chemical compound that make up the plastics we use. So, they can become un-bound/disconnected from the long chain of molecules making up the plastic. This can occur under heat, or various forms of radiation. ( UV, infrared, direct heat, etc... as well as ozone exposure just to name a few causes.)

Now, they can wind up in the food. Not a good thing in general - since we do not know the long term effects. But we do know that our bodies were not designed to recognize plastics as a natural material  - so the body likely does not know what to do with them. This is not a favorable biologic condition. There are studies that suggest that when confronted with chemicals the body does not recognize, the y often are stored in the liver or other organs, and fatty tissues. Postulations lean toward a carcinogenic outcome as a possibility.

So what about the microwavable stuff, such as breakfast bowls, that are frozen? Do we need to put them in glass bowls? I know they say microwave safe, so I am assuming they are. But what you are saying makes a lot of sense to me.

[Pappymn]

My wife started having all kinds of sensitivities to a great many environmental and food things. Plastics and chemicals are a big part of it. She only eats or drinks from glass or ceramic


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[teesquare]

NO GONN GO FULL BLOWN GEEK HERE..BUT:

Plastics contain chemical compounds called "plasticizers". They are the component fo the plastics that give plastics their flexibility .These plasticizers have a less secure molecular bond than than other components int he chemical compound that make up the plastics we use. So, they can become un-bound/disconnected from the long chain of molecules making up the plastic. This can occur under heat, or various forms of radiation. ( UV, infrared, direct heat, etc... as well as ozone exposure just to name a few causes.)

Now, they can wind up in the food. Not a good thing in general - since we do not know the long term effects. But we do know that our bodies were not designed to recognize plastics as a natural material  - so the body likely does not know what to do with them. This is not a favorable biologic condition. There are studies that suggest that when confronted with chemicals the body does not recognize, the y often are stored in the liver or other organs, and fatty tissues. Postulations lean toward a carcinogenic outcome as a possibility.

So what about the microwavable stuff, such as breakfast bowls, that are frozen? Do we need to put them in glass bowls? I know they say microwave safe, so I am assuming they are. But what you are saying makes a lot of sense to me.

lass and ceramic are your best bets Mike

[Ka Honu]

If you have a scientific bent, you'll realize that our leader knows whereof he speaks. If you don't, here are the basics...

Plastics contain chemical compounds called "plasticizers"... Of course they do (otherwise they wouldn't be called plastics)

...These plasticizers have a less secure molecular bond than than other components ... It's called "not being wrapped too tight - just like Tim. So, they can become un-bound/disconnected ... I've seen Tim do that. It's not pretty.

This can occur under heat, or various forms of radiation. ( UV, infrared, direct heat, etc... as well as ozone exposure just to name a few causes ...which, in Tim's case may also include abused substances such as alcohol. And we all know what the ozone exposure and lack of heat & light have done to his legs).

Enough for now; it's time for a drink. Aloha.

[teesquare]

If you have a scientific bent, you'll realize that our leader knows whereof he speaks. If you don't, here are the basics...

Plastics contain chemical compounds called "plasticizers"... Of course they do (otherwise they wouldn't be called plastics)

...These plasticizers have a less secure molecular bond than than other components ... It's called "not being wrapped too tight - just like Tim. So, they can become un-bound/disconnected ... I've seen Tim do that. It's not pretty.

This can occur under heat, or various forms of radiation. ( UV, infrared, direct heat, etc... as well as ozone exposure just to name a few causes ...which, in Tim's case may also include abused substances such as alcohol. And we all know what the ozone exposure and lack of heat & light have done to his legs).

Enough for now; it's time for a drink. Aloha.

Well...thanks "TURDDDDDD-DULLLL" ( phonetics were the best I could muster...sorry....)

[rwalters]

If you have a scientific bent, you'll realize that our leader knows whereof he speaks. If you don't, here are the basics...

Plastics contain chemical compounds called "plasticizers"... Of course they do (otherwise they wouldn't be called plastics)

...These plasticizers have a less secure molecular bond than than other components ... It's called "not being wrapped too tight - just like Tim. So, they can become un-bound/disconnected ... I've seen Tim do that. It's not pretty.

This can occur under heat, or various forms of radiation. ( UV, infrared, direct heat, etc... as well as ozone exposure just to name a few causes ...which, in Tim's case may also include abused substances such as alcohol. And we all know what the ozone exposure and lack of heat & light have done to his legs).

Enough for now; it's time for a drink. Aloha.

I’ve never met Tee in person, but this clears up a LOT of confusion... thanks!!