BajaNomad - Ziploc Bag Omelets may be Toxic

Ziploc Bag Omelets may be Toxic

Bedman - 5-18-2007 at 07:18 PM

Just a Heads up for all my Nomad Amigos.
I have no idea if this is a Valid concern or not. SC Johnson, manufacturer or Ziplock bags, Warns against this use.

Bedman
******************************

Ziploc Omelets may be Toxic
From David Sweet,
Your Guide to Camping.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!
Don't Boil with Ziploc Bags
This morning I was watching the Rachel Ray show, and she had a guest who demonstrated how to make omelets in a bag, which are simply eggs and other ingredients mashed together in a Ziploc baggie and submersed in boiling water to cook. I used to have several variations of this recipe on the camping site until a reader sent me a copy of this press release from the University of Illinois that was claiming that Ziploc omelets may be toxic.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 3, 2006

"I thought it was important to respond to a questionably safe Food Fad, the ZIPLOC OMELET. It is the latest NOT recommended fad. Please... DON'T try this at home and we will tell you exactly why. What is circulating around again is instructions on cooking omelets in Ziploc bags. This is not recommended until further research is done on cooking with plastics. There is still question about the cancer causing breakdown of plastics and their contact with food during cooking.

"We have contacted the Ziploc company and they replied by telling us that ZIPLOC® brand Bags cannot be used to boil food. They also told us that they do not manufacture a "boilable" bag.... yet.

"They do not recommend using any ZIPLOC® brand Bag in boiling water, or to "boil" in the microwave. ZIPLOC® brand Bags are made from polyethylene plastic with a softening point of approximately 195 degrees Fahrenheit. By pouring near boiling water (water begins to boil at 212 degrees) into the bag, or putting the bag into the water, the plastic could begin to melt. Might I add that eggs and cheese have fat which gets much hotter than water thus the likelihood of melting the plastic increases.

"It is so easy to start something unhealthy like the idea of a ZIPLOC OMELET. All you have to do is type it up and send it out to everyone you know via e-mail. It spreads like wild fire. The ZIPLOC OMELET instructions start out by telling you "This works great !!!" But who ever started the idea had not contacted the company who manufactures the bag to see if such cooking techniques were recommended. Therefore people receiving the instructions might just assume this idea is safe and it is not.

"The specific concern centers on the possible contamination of foods with known carcinogens that may be present in plastic containers and wraps.

"This issue is certain to generate much research to clarify the potential risks. Until this issue is fully resolved, consumers who want to take a cautious approach should not use Ziploc type bags for boiling food in water or in the microwave. People should continue making omelets the old traditional way until plastic bag manufacturers come out with an approved safe bag that while heated containing food will produce no carcinogens."

According to SC Johnson's Frequently Asked Questions page:
Can I boil in Ziploc® Brand bags?
No. Ziploc® Brand bags are not designed to withstand the extreme heat of boiling.

I also received a letter from Megan O. Maginnis, Consumer Specialist for S.C. Johnson & Son, makers of Ziploc baggies.Megan was replying to my inquiry about boiling with baggies.
"Thank you for asking about using Ziploc bags to make omelets. While we appreciate hearing about new and innovative ways to use our products, we must be cautious that these new ideas follow label directions.

"Ziploc bags are not designed or approved to withstand the extreme heat of boiling and therefore, using Ziploc bags to make any recipe that requires the bag to be boiled is not recommended.

"Like all of SC Johnson's products, Ziploc bags cam be used with confidence when label directions are followed. All Ziploc containers and microwaveable Ziploc bags meet safety requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for temperatures associated with defrosting and reheating food in microwave ovens,as well as room, refrigerator, and freezer temperatures.

"Please share these facts with others who may have this misleading information. We also encourage people to go to www.ziploc.com for more information on the proper use of this product."

Ziploc is a registered trademark of the SC Johnson Co. If you have concerns about cooking with Ziploc bags, you can call the SC Johnson Product Safety Department at 1-866-231-5406. They will address any questions you may have.

DianaT - 5-18-2007 at 07:36 PM

Thanks---made a few that way and thought it was easy and great---but now???

Glad to have that information

Diane

Paulina - 5-18-2007 at 07:52 PM

Thank you Steve,

Cody is not going to like to hear this! She is the Queen of the baggie omelets around here in the mornings. Thank you very much for the information.

As always,
P.<*)))><

Paula - 5-18-2007 at 08:39 PM

Hey Pompano, you had the right idea-- cook those eggs in nice organic orange skins-- or even not-organic orange skins.

Personally, I never combine plastic and heat. I store things and freeze in plastic, but I move them to metal or ceramic when re-heating. Teflon pans? I make a grudging exception for fried eggs, otherwise I use stainless.

Paula - 5-18-2007 at 08:59 PM

My stainless ain't quite so classy

amir - 5-18-2007 at 11:43 PM

Not only plastic and baggies release toxic components when heated, but also Saran wrap. Never cover food with Saran wrap and place in the microwave. Plastics are made from petroleum, and when combined with oils in the foods they touch, and heated together, to ANY temperature, there is a chemical reaction and toxins are released. Covering a microwaveable dish with a damp cloth or paper towel serves the same purpose without the toxic effect. By the way, Saran wrap should not be used to cover HOT food at any time - plastics and hot foods just don't go together, period.
--Amir

Sharksbaja - 5-19-2007 at 12:09 AM

Boy I hope the TV dinner and frozen food people don't read this post. :lol:

How many foods are cooked in plastics? Plenty!

amir - 5-19-2007 at 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sharksbaja
Boy I hope the TV dinner and frozen food people don't read this post. :lol:

How many foods are cooked in plastics? Plenty!

Very few special "plastic" containers can go in microwaves or come in touch with hot foods (oils) and not decompose into carcinogenic compounds. Maybe this is just one more reason for the increasing cancer pandemics.
The TV dinner and frozen food industry know this truth too well. They just don't want the public to know!
Many packaged food labels warn you to remove plastic wrappers and coverings before heating. But how many people read the small print in food labels? And those warnings don't tell you why! If they really disclosed all the dangers they are aware of, first, you would need an extremely long lable, and second, nobody would by those products...
--Amir

The emails saying ziplocks are harmful are FALSE

Taco de Baja - 5-24-2007 at 02:40 PM

They are like the ones that say the Post Office is going to start charging money for people to send emails.... :rolleyes:

Diet Coke breaks down to formaldehyde when headed in the sun..... :rolleyes:

If we all don't buy gas on Tuesday, the Oil Companies will be forced to lower prices.... :rolleyes:

Use some common sense, if the product were this harmful at temps around boiling water they would be off the shelf so fast heads would be spinning :spingrin:

and lawyers would be lining up for a piece of the massive class action law suits

I did what the original posting said and went to www.ziploc.com for more information.

What the site says id that Ziploc bags and Saran wrap are perfectly SAFE to use in the low temps reached in a kitchen. They only may become harmful at 1,500* F...like that will happen in a kitchen, or a camping trip. :rolleyes:

Here is what the Ziploc site REALLY says.

Quote:

2. I have read an email that warned consumers about the alleged dangers of using Ziploc® products in the microwave. Is this information true?

In 2002, we became aware of an email that was being widely circulated, which warned consumers about the alleged dangers of using plastics in the microwave. This email claimed that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body, thereby increasing the risk of producing cancerous cells. We researched these claims and it is clear that the information is misleading, and unnecessarily alarms consumers.

Saran™ and Ziploc® products are 100% dioxin free. You also should be aware that dioxins can be formed only when chlorine is combined with extremely high temperatures, such as 1,500°F, which even the most powerful consumer microwave ovens are unable to produce.

Our Saran™ and Ziploc® products can be used with confidence when label directions are followed. All Saran™ Wraps, Ziploc® Containers and microwaveable Ziploc® bags meet the safety requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for temperatures associated with defrosting and reheating food in microwave ovens, as well as room, refrigerator, and freezer temperatures.

Please help us alleviate consumers’ concerns and share these facts with those who forwarded this misleading e-mail to you, and to whom you may have sent it. Thank you for giving us a chance to set the record straight.

3. The containers’ packaging now reads “Microwave safe;” are the old containers safe?

Yes. Ziploc® containers have always been microwave safe for defrosting and reheating in the microwave. We added this benefit to the front of the container to assure our consumers that Ziploc® containers can be used in the microwave.

http://www.ziploc.com/

Yes, the site say Ziploc bas are not designed to withstand the heat of boiling, but the only thing that might happen is you have watery eggs, if the bag breaks open..... :lol:

[Edited on 5-24-2007 by Taco de Baja]

David K - 5-24-2007 at 02:52 PM

Once again, Taco de Baja comes through with FACTS to dispell myths!

Thanks amigo... I guess those 'evil' U.S. plastic corporations have to try harder to kill us off!!!! :lol:

amir - 5-24-2007 at 05:01 PM

Taco de Baja: Yes, thank you! From now on I will start believing everything the big corporations tell me. I will also start believing that everything the FDA declares safe, is actually safe! Big Business and the governement have never lied about the safety of products to consumers. I will also hurry up and find some foxes to guard my chicken coop.

David K: Those "evil" corporations don't want to kill you off - they just want you to keep consuming their products, no matter what. A dead customer doesn't buy ANY products. And if you get sick from it, they'll make even more money with other products they will sell you, like pharmaceuticals "approved" by the FDA...

--Amir

Crusoe - 5-24-2007 at 06:39 PM

Write On Amir!!!!!!!!

windgrrl - 5-24-2007 at 07:05 PM

..another toxin-free tip...you'll want to ditch your Teflon and go back to cast iron.

amir - 5-24-2007 at 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by windgrrl
...you'll want to ditch your Teflon...

Yes, and especially if it has scratches or if it has ever burnt...

--Amir

wornout - 5-24-2007 at 07:35 PM

A recent study has found out what really causes cancer. Locking up mice in little cages and using them for anything, like food or beverage testing.

They are getting closer to finding out watermelon causes cancer every and when they do, that's it for me!

Disinformation or Valid information??

Bedman - 5-24-2007 at 07:40 PM

Taco de Baja,

I hate those Emails that misinform you about all sorts of things..... I also don't like Half truths.

I don't post this type of information lightly. Please read the additional information on this post and and add anything you think would allow us to make a good choice on whether to Boil food in a plastic bag or not.

I religiously use a web site called Snopes.com and Breakthechain.org and have "quoted" them as follows.

The original information I posted was from the website....

http://camping.about.com/od/campingrecipes/a/ziplocbaggies.h...

In summarizing this data, I do not do it justice. Disinformation is present as well as Valid information.
Only you can decide what is best for you and your family.

Bedman

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Snopes does have an Urban legend letter that concerns this subject. However the main thrust of the letter and validity is with regards to "Freezing Water in Plastic bottles".

http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/cookplastic.asp

"Dr. Rolf Halden of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health advises:

Re: "concerns about dioxins being released by freezing water in plastic bottles", Dr. Halden says:

"This is an urban legend. There are no dioxins in plastics. In addition, freezing actually works against the release of chemicals. Chemicals do not diffuse as readily in cold temperatures, which would limit chemical release if there were dioxins in plastic, and we don't think there are."

Additionally ,
Dr. Rolf Halden of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health advises:

" In general, whenever you heat something you increase the likelihood of pulling chemicals out. Chemicals can be released from plastic packaging materials like the kinds used in some microwave meals. If you are cooking with plastics or using plastic utensils, the best thing to do is to follow the directions and only use plastics that are specifically meant for cooking. Inert containers are best, for example heat-resistant glass, ceramics and good old stainless steel."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And more from.....

http://web.archive.org/web/20060515234721/http://www.jhsph.e...

"OC&PA: What about COOKING with plastics?"

"RH: In general, whenever you heat something you increase the likelihood of pulling chemicals out. Chemicals can be released from plastic packaging materials like the kinds used in some microwave meals. Some drinking straws say on the label “not for hot beverages.” Most people think the warning is because someone might be burned. If you put that straw into a boiling cup of hot coffee, you basically have a hot water extraction going on, where the chemicals in the straw are being extracted into your nice cup of coffee. We use the same process in the lab to extract chemicals from materials we want to analyze.

If you are cooking with plastics or using plastic utensils, the best thing to do is to follow the directions and only use plastics that are specifically meant for cooking. Inert containers are best, for example heat-resistant glass, ceramics and good old stainless steel."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the Breakthechain.org website there is additionally another example of a chain letter.

http://www.breakthechain.org/exclusives/dioxins.html

SAMPLE CHAIN LETTER TEXT

"As a seventh grade student, Claire Nelson learned that di(ethylhexyl)adepate (DEHA), considered a carcinogen, is found in plastic wrap. She also learned that the FDA had never studied the effect of microwave cooking on plastic-wrapped food. Claire began to wonder: "Can cancer-causing particles seep into food covered with household plastic wrap while it is being micro waved?"

Three years later, with encouragement from her high school science teacher, Claire set out to test what the FDA had not. Although she had an idea for studying the effect of microwave radiation on plastic wrapped food, she did not have the equipment. Eventually, Jon Wilkes at the National Center for Toxicological Research in Jefferson, Arkansas, agreed to help her. The research center, which is affiliated with the FDA, let her use its facilities to perform her experiments, which involved micro waving plastic wrap in virgin olive oil.

Claire tested four different plastic wraps and "found not just the carcinogens but also xenoestrogen was migrating [into the oil]...." Xenoestrogens are linked to low sperm counts in men and to breast cancer in women. Throughout her junior and senior years, Claire made a couple of trips each week to the research center, which was 25 miles from her home, to work on her experiment. An article in Options reported that "her analysis found that DEHA was migrating into the oil at between 200 parts and 500 parts per million. The FDA standard is 0.05 parts per billion. "

Her summarized results have been published in science journals. Claire Nelson received the American Chemical Society's top science prize for students during her junior year and fourth place at the International Science and Engineering Fair (Fort Worth, Texas) as a senior. "Carcinogens -- At 10,000,000 Times FDA Limits" Options May 2000. Published by People Against Cancer, [Phone Number Removed by Request].

END CHAIN LETTER TEXT

Frank D. Wiewel, founder of PeopleAgainstCancer.com, told BreakTheChain.org that the account cited above and being circulated via e-mail is a paraphrase of the article that appeared in the May 2000 issue of People Against Cancer's Options newsletter - predating Dr. Fujimoto's remarks by at least two years. He asks that you not forward it for several reasons:

"We have received wide response worldwide. Because of the telephone number, we have received hundreds of telephone inquiries about the authenticity of the article. Incidentally, the data is correct. Unfortunately, while it is my understanding that Dr Fujimoto feels that people should know about the dangers of dioxin - most forms of the email incorrectly identified the Channel 2 Radio station as Huntsville AL instead of Hawaii."

"Half the story - as you know - is worse than no story."

"We do NOT encourage people to forward the email. Because it is not precise and it has attachments of other issues, it is too confusing. And there is an additional burden on our staff of people who are demanding that we provide them with proof of the 'claims.'"

"As for confirming Claire Nelson's "findings," I found a bio on Dr. Jon Wilkes that lists a 1998 conference abstract about a study with Claire Nelson and three other researchers on "Contamination of Food from Microwaving in Plastic Wrap." However, toxicologist and Chain-Breaker Lisa points out that a conference abstract is not peer-reviewed and not same as published research that is both valid and reliable. Again, the FDA has a response to these claims:"

"DEHA is a plasticizer, a substance added to some plastics to make them flexible. DEHA exposure may occur when eating certain foods wrapped in plastics, especially fatty foods such as meat and cheese. But the levels are very low. The levels of the plasticizer that might be consumed as a result of plastic film use are well below the levels showing no toxic effect in animal studies."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In conclusion I've tried to supply all my sources of information and expose the truths and myths therein.

As always,

Bedman

windgrrl - 5-24-2007 at 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by wornout
A recent study has found out what really causes cancer. Locking up mice in little cages and using them for anything, like food or beverage testing.

They are getting closer to finding out watermelon causes cancer every and when they do, that's it for me!

We all free to choose our poison...and the cure for cancer is more poison :barf:

amir - 5-24-2007 at 10:23 PM

Thank you, Bedman, for the compilation and extensive detail in your last post. Those links are excellent and I bookmarked them for future research projects.

--Amir

David K - 5-24-2007 at 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by amir
Taco de Baja: Yes, thank you! From now on I will start believing everything the big corporations tell me. I will also start believing that everything the FDA declares safe, is actually safe! Big Business and the governement have never lied about the safety of products to consumers. I will also hurry up and find some foxes to guard my chicken coop.

David K: Those "evil" corporations don't want to kill you off - they just want you to keep consuming their products, no matter what. A dead customer doesn't buy ANY products. And if you get sick from it, they'll make even more money with other products they will sell you, like pharmaceuticals "approved" by the FDA...

--Amir

That's okay amir... believe what ever you wish, I don't think the sky is falling... or corporations are evil... or that man is causing climate change... I have faith in God as the supreme power on this planet! PEACE!!

amir - 5-24-2007 at 11:56 PM

Quote:

PEACE to you, too, brother. God IS Supreme, and His power extends beyond this planet into the far reaches of all infinite universes. And He also dwells in our hearts, that is His most cozy home. I wish I was so sure about so many other things...

Belief is a powerful thing. I also don't think the sky is falling. Some corporations I believe have evil designs. Man has an effect on his surroundings like the surroundings have an effect on Man. We and everything around us, including our climate, is part of the play of consciousness. We are not separate from anybody or anything else. We are all ONE.

But I thought we were discussing toxic hydrocarbons released by heated plastic. What you don't know CAN hurt you. Debate is good! Sometimes I use sarcasm when I want to express a mood. Sometimes I also exaggerate to make a point. I'm sorry if my style offended you.

Thank you for your PEACE offering...

--Amir

Bedman - 5-25-2007 at 12:08 AM

David,

I think your selling Amir short, but that's your perrogative. You can Poo Poo the information I posted if you like. At least back up your "Poo Poo" with some sort of plausible information.

I didn't post the information to Suggest that, the "Sky Was Falling" or that, "Corporations are Evil" or that, "God is Not the Supreme Being" and nothing about "Climate Change".

And if you read my second post and did a little reading you might have come away with a different perspective.

I've said enough and will now bite my tongue.

Bedman

Mexitron - 5-25-2007 at 05:17 AM

Hmmm...why bother cooking an omelet in a plastic bag anyway? If you're going to use a pan to boil water, may as well use it to cook the omelet and get that nice fried buttery flavor(that I'm sure is carcinogenic too!). Non-stick pan is uber-easy cleanup. Less garbage afterwards too.

Taco de Baja - 5-25-2007 at 07:41 AM

Just another thing to remember this weekend.

The black crust on your barbequed steak/hotdog/burger/fish/pork may be carcenogenic too

http://bbq.about.com/b/a/256513.htm
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A compound formed when meat is charred at high temperatures -- as in barbecue -- encourages the growth of prostate cancer in rats, researchers reported on Sunday."

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060406101252.htm
Science Daily — The compound PhIP (2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine), formed by cooking meats at very high temperatures, acts as both an initiator and promoter of prostate cancer in rats, according to a Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center study, presented at the 97th annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Washington, D.C

Standing in front of the grill with no shirt on as you work on you summer tan is cancer causing too, besides you might offend the neighbors .

I hate being lied to through half truths in those forwarded emails. SE Johnson saying "we don’t recommend cooking in Ziploc bags" turns into "Cooking in Ziploc bags will release harmful chemical into food and you will get cancer and die!"

I agree with Mexitron cooking omelets old-fashioned way in a frying pan is better anyway, cleanup is not really that bad...and you get a nice delicious :yes:

brown crust on the omelet that you will not get in a plastic sack.

Paulina - 5-25-2007 at 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mexitron
Hmmm...why bother cooking an omelet in a plastic bag anyway? If you're going to use a pan to boil water, may as well use it to cook the omelet and get that nice fried buttery flavor(that I'm sure is carcinogenic too!). Non-stick pan is uber-easy cleanup. Less garbage afterwards too.

Mexitron,
For our house it was a kid thing. A breakfast they could do all by themselves. Our daughter had a sleepover and the girls were busy all morning in the kitchen, without me! When out and about, no dishes to wash. One baggie and egg shells for the trash, burn the paper plate, dump out the water and go! Bottom line was simplicity.

P<*)))><

Oso - 5-25-2007 at 08:11 AM

I'm not sure about the health issues re: food contact or heat and plastic. But I'm pretty sure I don't want to swallow any. I haven't chewed gum in awhile because it pulls my partial loose. After watching this YouTube video on gum manufacture, I don't want any ever again. I thought it still came from the chicle tree resin harvested in the jungles by stoned chicleros. According to this, not anymore. Chewing and bubble gum is now made from "synthetic plastics and rubber". :barf:

http://www.tonterias.com/tonteria.php?id_tonteria=5909&f...

David K - 5-25-2007 at 08:52 AM

Well, you know what... we are all going to die... someday! The quality of life has got to be worth something, right?

If you are going to live in fear of what you eat, breath, drink... what's the point???

Tomorrow, a meteor, car wreck, terrorist, shark attack, whatever... could end it all... So today, I chose to enjoy life!!

Bedman & Amir, what I post in these 'warning messages' was not in disrespect or to question your motives... I post the 'counter-think' stuff so that anyone who cares to can THINK for themselves when given an opposing viewpoint.

We are bombarded daily with 'left-think' on the TV, newspaper, magazines, radio news, etc. The motives of the lefties is one of power and control... as they don't think you have enough brains to think for yourself or take care of yourself and instead want the government to run your life and keep your money... "it takes a village", etc.

I know (most) of you have brains, God given abilities and resources to care for yourselves without a government agency to do that for you... So, I support another opinion being added to the thread on such topics as America is evil, corporations are evil, man is destroying the planet, etc.

In the thread above, it was Taco de Baja who provided the opposing opinion (or perhaps facts) to have you consider... I just gave him an "atta boy" for doing such...

So, please just do some thinking on your own... Ziplock (DOW) or whatever corporation has lawers up the ying yang that would have warning lables galore if boiling eggs inside the ziplock was anymore harmful than breathing the air.... If not, then just how often do you make a ziplock omlette in your life that whatever miniscule amount of chemical release would add to the rest of the stuff that goes into our bodies over our lifetime? (I have never had one, but if Cody made me one, I would try it)

Cody with Beach Bob's dog 'Fred-Ted-George' in a photo taken by bedman in 2002...

amir - 5-25-2007 at 11:40 AM

Everything in moderation. We are all going to die of something or other, so enjoying every day to the fullest is a great way to live. I personally appreciate many things I've learned about prolonguing life, yet I still have some bad habits that I know will shorten it. Somebody said in this thread already: We choose our poisons.

Our bodies are incredibly complicated chemical machines and science (or yogis or religion) have not yet figured out all the secrets of health. Life is a mystery. Some people live very pure lives and still succumb to disease; other break every rule and live full, healthy long lives. Fear from meteors or terrorists, any fear in fact, can make you sick. More governent is not the answer to anything, on the contrary, I have a problem with authority and can't stand anybody legislating rules for me, and I detest paying taxes for causes I oppose.

We have intellects so we can discrimiate between what is good and what is bad, but this is a very difficult job - it is very confusing with all the choices we have, and what is poison for one person might be nectar to another. So what I do is to try to be informed, and then choose what works for me. Different people make different choices, and thank God for that! Can you imagine how boring it would be if we were all clones of each other?

--Amir

mtgoat666 - 5-25-2007 at 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Taco de Baja
Just another thing to remember this weekend.

The black crust on your barbequed steak/hotdog/burger/fish/pork may be carcenogenic too

brown crust on the omelet that you will not get in a plastic sack.

The burnt stuff on barbecued meat (and most all burnt organics) is high in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons PAHs). The PAHs in diesel exhaust is the primary driver for attempts to regulate diesel engines. Eating barbecued meat exposes you to the same PAHs as you get from driving behind a diesel truck on I-5. Mixed PAHs from burning organic matter are in pure form tar-like, and the "tar" referred to in cigarette measurements is PAH "tar."

The emissions from low temperature contact with plastic are not anything I would volunteer to eat more of. You get all sorts of chemicals off plastics at low temperature, including a few that have been studied and are known to be carcinogenic, like phthalates. Plastics containn many thousands of chemicals, and only hundreds have been studied.

The rule of thumbs to live by are don't eat hot materials from ceramics made outside the US; don't store and reheat food in plastic containers (use plastic only if you don't have a better alternative); don't eat lots of fat; don't stand in barbecue smoke, spend lots of time standing behind diesel busses or take up smoking; don't develop a taste for preferring your meat and toast with a black coating of burn residue; and finally,, best of all, do what I say and not as I do.

mtgoat666 - 5-25-2007 at 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K

We are bombarded daily with 'left-think' on the TV, newspaper, magazines, radio news, etc. The motives of the lefties is one of power and control... as they don't think you have enough brains to think for yourself or take care of yourself and instead want the government to run your life and keep your money... "it takes a village", etc.

So, please just do some thinking on your own... Ziplock (DOW) or whatever corporation has lawers up the ying yang that would have warning lables galore if boiling eggs inside the ziplock was anymore harmful than breathing the air.... If not, then just how often do you make a ziplock omlette in your life that whatever miniscule amount of chemical release would add to the rest of the stuff that goes into our bodies over our lifetime? (I have never had one, but if Cody made me one, I would try it)

A gullible cynic?

Leftists are generally looking out for their fellow man when pushing for consumer protection. Maybe a little bit of it is political power, but the underlying motivation is good.

I trust Michael Moore and Ralph Nader more than I trust the atty from Ziplock/Dow.

Perfect Breakfast

The Gull - 5-25-2007 at 04:44 PM

One tablespoon of PAH's
Mixed with three ounces of VOC's
4 oz of PCB's
Add cholesteral to the top of a 12 oz glass
Heat in Microwave in anything plastic, until all ingredients, including the plastic container congeal.
Down the hatch.

Those who are not going to die should identify themselves for the rest of us to admire.

I saw God in my scrambled egg this morning. I set it aside for you, Amir.

Righties could care less about other people, correct Goat?

Caring is the sole purview of the left. Just how did you get to post such a political remark on other than the Off-topic section?

Oso - 5-25-2007 at 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mtgoat666

Quote:

Originally posted by Taco de Baja
Just another thing to remember this weekend.

The black crust on your barbequed steak/hotdog/burger/fish/pork may be carcenogenic too

brown crust on the omelet that you will not get in a plastic sack.

"Methuselah lived 900 years
But who calls that livin'
When no gal would give in
To no man what's 900 years?"
-Sportin' Life-It ain't necessarily so-Porgy and Bess

"Die young and leave a good-looking corpse"- Somebody?

If you don't want to scramble your eggs in a Ziploc bag, and if you don't want to brown them in a frying pan...

amir - 5-25-2007 at 11:32 PM

[Edited on 5-26-2007 by amir]

untitled1.jpg - 13kB

amir - 5-25-2007 at 11:38 PM

... and then do this...

untitled2.jpg - 49kB

amir - 5-25-2007 at 11:43 PM

... and then finish it like this!

(By the way, no, that is not me in the first picture. I look more like my avatar, but with a little more yolk around my beard. --Amir)

untitled3.jpg - 50kB

Mexitron - 5-26-2007 at 07:43 AM

Hey now that's an omelette!!! Nice pics Amir.

windgrrl - 5-26-2007 at 08:00 AM

What an eggs-travagant series! Thanks for the lighter (and aesthetic perspective - ideological posturing is soooo last century!

Here's to a sunny-side up Saturday to you all!

Paula - 5-26-2007 at 02:50 PM

Tell us more about the eggshibit please, Amir. And if you know anything about that ducky floor covering in the pictures, please share that info too :dudette:

Cypress - 5-26-2007 at 04:35 PM

amir! Are you trying to egg-us-on? :tumble:

Roberto - 5-26-2007 at 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bedman
David,

I think your selling Amir short, but that's your perrogative. You can Poo Poo the information I posted if you like. At least back up your "Poo Poo" with some sort of plausible information.

I didn't post the information to Suggest that, the "Sky Was Falling" or that, "Corporations are Evil" or that, "God is Not the Supreme Being" and nothing about "Climate Change".

And if you read my second post and did a little reading you might have come away with a different perspective.

I've said enough and will now bite my tongue.

Bedman

You, sir, are a class act. Unlike myself - 'nuff said. :lol:

[Edited on 5-27-2007 by Roberto]

amir - 5-26-2007 at 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Paula
Tell us more about the eggshibit please, Amir. And if you know anything about that ducky floor covering in the pictures, please share that info too :dudette:

Sorry, Paula, I know nothing about that eggshibit. Isn't it eggsquisite, though? Somebody emailed the pictures to me just yesterday, coincidentally, not knowing that I was participating in this thread. A really eggstraneous coincidence...

The only thing I can deduce from it is that it was probably in Asia, maybe Japan, or Korea, or thereabouts, because of the characters on the lower right area of the third picture. I think it says "1950", and it looks like it was the 50th anniversary of something, so that would date these pictures to the year 2000, when the two personegges in the picture are being eggstalled, probably for their eggsalted, eggscellent, eggsceptional, eggsceedingly eggstra eggsternal patiotism, I guess, without eggsceptions...

I have really no eggscuses for this eggscessive, eggsorbitant eggscerpt. If somebody wants to eggscise the eggscess, or eggsclude some eggsclamations, I'll get eggscited, and perhaps also eggsonerated. Without eggscemptions, this ineggscusable eggsample will eggsert pressure from egged Nomads for me to be eggsiled to other eggsisting forums.

Eggsecuted eggshaustively without eggshaling, with eggstenuating circumstances for all the eggscursions, I will now eggsit.

Eggscrementally, yours, --Amir

Paula - 5-26-2007 at 08:21 PM

Amir, you're a good egg!!

Source of egg pix

The Gull - 5-27-2007 at 07:43 AM

http://www.homestudio.cdd.cn/homepage03/album.asp?id=55823&a...

:tumble:

Paula - 5-27-2007 at 08:56 AM

thanks, Gull! What an interesting link-- don't even know for sure what country that was, but so many cool images!

pargo - 5-27-2007 at 12:25 PM

Lots of good points and counter points on this thread..good stuff
I think Amirs cool.

By the way, my mum used to fry eggs in Rex lard...mm mm good!!
remember that stuff?
Now i know to add melted plastics to my diet to finish the job

Cypress - 5-27-2007 at 12:36 PM

amir, Eggscellent! :spingrin:

Taco de Baja - 6-25-2007 at 07:48 AM

Ziploc is on the way to developing bags that can be boiled, for those who are afraid of possibly eating melted plastic when making your eggs...

If these new bags can handle the heat of stream, they can easily handle the heat of 212* F boiling water.... Unfortunately, theses particular bags have holes in them to allow the steam to escape.....I foresee ones in the future with no holes that you can toss in a pot of boiling water.

Quote:

RACINE, Wis., June 21, 2007 –Ziploc® Brand is changing the way people use their favorite kitchen appliance with an innovative new product that allows everyday cooks to create delicious and healthy steam cooked meals at the touch of a button.

The first food preparation product from the Ziploc® Brand, new Ziploc® Brand Zip ’n Steam™ Microwave Steam Cooking Bags steam cook fresh or frozen vegetables, seafood, poultry and more in the microwave., Ziploc® Brand Zip ’n Steam™ Bags take steaming one step further by cooking food quickly every time, keeping nutrients in the bag and helping vegetables retain their flavor.

The Secret to Successful Steaming is “In the Bag”
Ziploc® Brand Zip ’n Steam™ Bags feature an innovative design with patented steam vents that allow the bag to maintain optimal steaming pressure so food cooks at a higher temperature and retains more moisture. In addition, the bags lay flat in the microwave so food cooks thoroughly and evenly without needing to be stirred halfway through the cooking process.

Simple Cleanup is “In the Bag”
While everyone enjoys eating, most dread cleaning up afterwards. Ziploc® Brand Zip ’n Steam™ Bags’ leak-proof performance means no messes from the very start. And the bags minimize cleanup so it’s possible to prepare and enjoy meals without having to wash numerous pots and pans. Steam cooking favorite foods is so quick and easy, people will find the answer to their next healthy home-made meal really is in the bag.

Where to Find Ziploc® Brand Zip ‘n Steam™ Bags
After July 13, 2007, Ziploc® Brand Zip ‘n Steam™ Bags can be found at mass-retail stores and grocery stores nationwide in the same aisle where Ziploc® Brand bags and Ziploc® Brand containers are found.

In the meantime, consumers can visit www.ziploc.com/steamerbags to order a shipment of 30 medium bags (2-3 servings per bag) and 14 large bags (3-5 servings per bag) for $15.99 (plus tax) as part of a limited time offer. Shipping and handling are free, and all applicable taxes apply.

Link

Mango - 6-25-2007 at 09:28 AM

I use zip-lock bags a lot to store food while backpacking and food in the fridge.

I've seen melted saran wrap, plastics, etc. from being heated in the microwave, melted into and onto food. Believe what you wish. But, I would think that eating plastics it not really a good thing, it sure does not taste good.

Personally; I find it pretty humorous how god, politics, and urban myth has found its way into this thread. Lefty, righty..belive what you wish. Not all corporations are bad; but, corporations are run by people. Sometimes people are bad and self serving; and, thus the corporations they run become an extension of their ideals and practices. Not all are bad; but, not all are good either.

Sometimes even good people do things with the best intentions that turn out in the end to have bad consequences. Often times it is just a lack of knowledge or understanding that is the demise of good intentions. I prefer to keep my head out of the sand.

I just don't see what is so bad with cast iron myself. I'd rather spend a little time cleaning as to keep one less plastic bag from blowing around in the desert.

Last time I checked it was,"In God we trust" , not, "In corporations we trust."

When it comes down to food..for me it is, "In cast iron I trust, just keep it dry or it will rust."

vandy - 6-26-2007 at 03:40 AM

Ahhh...I knew I could find the correct snopes listing for the hot plastic rumor:
http://www.snopes.com/toxins/plastic.htm

amir - 6-27-2007 at 12:12 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by vandy
Ahhh...I knew I could find the correct snopes listing for the hot plastic rumor:

Deja Vu all over again.
Do people bother to read the whole thread before posting?
And besides, that article talks about DIOXINS. Of course you ain't gonna find dioxins in there. WE ARE NOT TALKING JUST ABOUT DIOXINS. We are talking about other toxic compounds. HELLO? SOMEBODY HOME?
Why don't they go looking for the real poisons?
Because they don't even know what they are!
Labs can only test for known substances.
Labs can tell you if something is there.
Labs cannot tell you about what they are NOT testing.

But it doesn't really matter. Go eat the poisons and get sick. Just don't send me the bill for your sickness. And if you die, don't come back to haunt me!

--Amir

David K - 6-27-2007 at 09:39 AM

Ah, so there are always poisons in everything made by corporations, even if unknown!??

I don't think I could sleep being so nervous about everything I eat, drink or touch if I believed that!

What has happened to you presonally that created this phobia? Does living in a third world country solve your issues with corporations?

amir - 6-27-2007 at 12:09 PM

David K, you are generalizing when you ask if there are always poisons in everything. Of course not. Most of the things made from petrochemicals are toxic, though.

If you can't sleep from your nervousness, I'm sure you can get some drug to calm you down. Beer doesn't do it for you, eh? Try meditation also.

And what happened to me personally that created my awareness about toxic corporations, is that I got an education, and I read a lot, and not only what is spoon fed to me by the "evil corporations" (as you call them), but I try to be open to information that comes from all sides of the spectrum, including research funded by others besides the same corporations that produce the chemicals they test. That is called independent, unbiased research.

And living in a third world country does not solve all the issues, but it helps a lot. Living on the tropics in an oasis in the desert on the edge of the ocean keeps me away from many pollutants, not only industrial, but also human.

--Amir

David K - 6-27-2007 at 07:43 PM

Thanks Amir... I appreciate the input as to how you get your ideas. By the way, you misunderstood me, I sleep very well as I am NOT nervous... I don't fear corporations or believe they want to kill us... well I will take an exception... tobacco companies!!!

Peace to you Amir!

Bedman--Thank you

Baja Bernie - 6-29-2007 at 06:58 AM

This post has made me and thus my family much more aware of plastics and the preparation of foods...............it has caused me to research the facts and here is yet another.............

http://www.expatshungary.com/forum/topic/97

Taco de Baja - 6-29-2007 at 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Baja Bernie
This post has made me and thus my family much more aware of plastics and the preparation of foods...............it has caused me to research the facts and here is yet another.............

http://www.expatshungary.com/forum/topic/97

Bernie,
That's similar to the email with bad info that Snopes.com has debunked.
Plastics do not contain dioxins. Other chemicals, yes; not dioxins.
Freezing water in plastics would actually would slow down any chemical reactions that might be occurring between the water and plastic; so it's actually safer to store frozen water in plastic than at 40 degrees, or at 100 degrees on your way across the Baja desert...

You should be more worried about heating in that ceramic dish/bowl that says "Hecho en Mexico" or "Made in China". The glaze just might contain lead that will also poison you and your family.

Mexitron - 6-29-2007 at 07:25 AM

Amir--do you like that pine fresh smell when hiking in the mountains? Know what makes that smell? Turpenoids--nasty benzene ring based chemicals produced by the pine trees to keep their sap from freezing in the winter(and what turpentine is made of). The world is full of natural toxins like that---the good news is that we have buffering physiologies to alleviate the effects of small amounts of those toxins...sure, petrochemical based products have toxins too but unless you take a bath in them everyday they probably won't hurt you. Why anyone would cook an omelette in a plastic bag is beyond me but I doubt it will do much damage.

amir - 6-29-2007 at 07:47 AM

Indeed this looks like one of those controversies where there isn't a clear answer. So what do we do?

I would think that the best thing to do is what WE think is best for our health. Minimize exposure, keep our immune systems strong, eat as many wholesome foods as we can, exercise, surround ourselves with good friends, keep thinking positive thoughts, and pray that we are doing the right things.

Eventually we'll all succumb to old age and death no matter what we do. The world is full of controversies and we get trapped in our belief systems. It is all about belief! If we believe that something is bad for us, even if it is not, and we still do it, it will have a bad effect on us. If we believe that something is good for us, even if it is not, and we indulge in it, we might not get a negative effect.

The power of the mind can override the material world. This is one major reason why we get different results depending on where our heads are at. The power of positive thinking is incredible. One man's ambrosia is another man's poison, and vice-versa. Indeed it is a conondrum.

--Amir

Taco

Baja Bernie - 6-29-2007 at 08:18 AM

I fall upon my sword.............Here is something I wrote the other day and it should have warned me of this thread and what it held................

“Come see the future as it once was!” Bernie Swaim 2005

I have been cogitating on this for some time now and I have decided to expand upon the thought and carry it forward and backward and see what we come up with.

“The future never is what it seems, but rather what it will be.”

Now the past, we believe, is etched stone. It has happened and that is that—the end. That is until we realize that the past is what makes the present—well present. Then look around and see if you know what the present really is and not what you wish it to be. It may not be at all what you hope for and has more than likely been changed by others to make you think it is really something else.

And going back to the past, you find that it is really as fluid as historians, such as me, wish it to be………….All that is needed to change the present and perhaps the future is to tweak the past………….So! I re-wrote it as follows:

“Come see the future as it once was! It is never as it is—but it is always what it will be.”

Cypress - 6-29-2007 at 02:17 PM

Just cut the top out of an old milk jug, fill with whatever you want and boil till your hearts content, remove, dump in plate and chow down. :lol:

kellychapman - 7-1-2007 at 10:24 AM

good lord whatever happened to a good ol' pan to cook your eggs in??? boiling an omlete in a plastic bag sounds disgusting....what is wrong with people today??? I even hate microwaves as they change the molecular structure of the food anyway....what ever happened to "real" cooking?? we need to get back to the basics people.....
who comes up with this stuff??