Recently, American scholars published a paper in the journal International Environment, arguing that phthalates can lead to hormone imbalance in human body. Scholars analyzed the data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey of the United States, collected the data of 10235 subjects, and detected the levels of phthalate esters in their blood. It was found that the blood levels of phthalate esters in people who ate out the day before were 35% higher than those who ate at home.
Previous studies have confirmed that phthalates are related to asthma, breast cancer and type 2 diabetes. More importantly, they also bring health problems related to fertility, and pregnant women, children and adolescents are more susceptible to them. It is found that the content of phthalate esters in hamburgers, sandwiches and other foods is the highest, but it is limited to foods bought in fast food restaurants and coffee shops. So the main source of these influences is take-away packaging.
The health effects of phthalates were previously concentrated on soft plastic toys and children's products. It is believed that phthalate esters will have cumulative effects on human body, and long-term exposure will cause damage to liver and kidney, and will also lead to precocious puberty in children.
A series of recent studies show that phthalates play an estrogen-like role in human and animals, which can interfere with endocrine. These effects can lead to the decrease of semen volume and sperm quantity, low sperm motility, abnormal sperm morphology and even testicular cancer, which is the chief culprit of male reproductive system problems.
Another factor that may affect health in take-away packaging is toluene diisocyanate, which is a low-molecular-weight compound widely used in foam, paint, coatings and plastics industries. Toluene diisocyanate mainly has adverse effects on respiratory system, which can bring symptoms such as cough, chest tightness, shortness of breath and asthma.
Another important substance related to plastic packaging is bisphenol A. In related research, it is found that the amount of bisphenol A released from old and new plastic bottles filled with normal temperature water is the same, but after these bottles are filled with boiling water, the release rate of bisphenol A is 54 times higher than that before heating. Bisphenol a is also related to reproductive system problems, which can produce similar effects to sex hormones, and is also known as environmental hormones and endocrine interferons. BPA can cause heart disease, induce diabetes and liver disease, affect the brain development of fetuses and children, and increase the risk of prostate cancer and breast cancer. A study by Harvard University found that bisphenol A increases the risk of female infertility.
Our life has been bound by takeout and fast food. To tell the truth, this series has been eaten for a long time, which is a reality that everyone living in the city can't change. We hope that all practitioners in the packaging industry can abide by the relevant standards, but this may be just hope. In life, we can't avoid touching things that are harmful to health, but we don't need to panic too much. Personally, paying attention to some details can also reduce the harm. For example, bisphenol A will only be released above 100 degrees Celsius, so be careful not to use plastic cups to hold boiling water;
Avoid hot food in plastic bags; Don't pack cooked food in colored plastic bags, because most of them are made of recycled plastics; Use a special bowl to heat food in the microwave oven; Newly bought plastic products are soaked in warm water several times before use; Small receipts in supermarkets may also contain plasticizers. Throw it away and wash your hands after reading it. Take good care of children and don't let them put plastic products in their mouths; It is best not to use plastic bottles of wine and oil at home; Microwave heating must tear off the plastic wrap; Use less cosmetics such as hair gel, lipstick, nail polish and emulsion; Young men and women should try to eat at home or prepare a set of reliable fast food tableware for themselves before giving birth and after a woman is pregnant. Finally, pray.