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Bedman
Senior Nomad
Posts: 523
Registered: 9-4-2002
Location: Orange County, CA.
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Ziploc Bag Omelets may be Toxic
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.
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DianaT
Select Nomad
Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
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Thanks---made a few that way and thought it was easy and great---but now???
Glad to have that information
Diane
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Paulina
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3810
Registered: 8-31-2002
Location: BCN
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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.<*)))><
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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Paula
Super Nomad
Posts: 2219
Registered: 1-5-2006
Location: Loreto
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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.
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Paula
Super Nomad
Posts: 2219
Registered: 1-5-2006
Location: Loreto
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My stainless ain't quite so classy
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amir
Senior Nomad
Posts: 559
Registered: 5-4-2007
Location: Todos Santos, BCS
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Mood: chiropractic
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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
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
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Boy I hope the TV dinner and frozen food people don't read this post.  How many
foods are cooked in plastics? Plenty!
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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amir
Senior Nomad
Posts: 559
Registered: 5-4-2007
Location: Todos Santos, BCS
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Mood: chiropractic
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Sharksbaja
Boy I hope the TV dinner and frozen food people don't read this post. 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
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Taco de Baja
Super Nomad
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Mood: Dreamin' of Baja
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The emails saying ziplocks are harmful are FALSE
They are like the ones that say the Post Office is going to start charging money for people to send emails....
Diet Coke breaks down to formaldehyde when headed in the sun.....
If we all don't buy gas on Tuesday, the Oil Companies will be forced to lower prices....
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  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.
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.....
[Edited on 5-24-2007 by Taco de Baja]
Truth generally lies in the coordination of antagonistic opinions
-Herbert Spencer
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64544
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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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!!!!
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amir
Senior Nomad
Posts: 559
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Location: Todos Santos, BCS
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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
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Crusoe
Senior Nomad
Posts: 731
Registered: 10-14-2006
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Write On Amir!!!!!!!!
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windgrrl
Super Nomad
Posts: 1323
Registered: 9-2-2006
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..another toxin-free tip...you'll want to ditch your Teflon and go back to cast iron.
When the way comes to an end, then change. Having changed, you pass through.
~ I-Ching
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amir
Senior Nomad
Posts: 559
Registered: 5-4-2007
Location: Todos Santos, BCS
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Mood: chiropractic
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| 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
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wornout
Senior Nomad
Posts: 595
Registered: 10-24-2004
Location: San Felipe, Baja California
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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!
This Space Available, E-Mail Me If Interested.
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Bedman
Senior Nomad
Posts: 523
Registered: 9-4-2002
Location: Orange County, CA.
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Disinformation or Valid information??
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."
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In conclusion I've tried to supply all my sources of information and expose the truths and myths therein.
As always,
Bedman
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windgrrl
Super Nomad
Posts: 1323
Registered: 9-2-2006
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| 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
When the way comes to an end, then change. Having changed, you pass through.
~ I-Ching
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amir
Senior Nomad
Posts: 559
Registered: 5-4-2007
Location: Todos Santos, BCS
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Mood: chiropractic
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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
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64544
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| 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!!
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amir
Senior Nomad
Posts: 559
Registered: 5-4-2007
Location: Todos Santos, BCS
Member Is Offline
Mood: chiropractic
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| Quote: |
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!! |
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
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