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November 17, 2016

Styrofoam: Defenition, Basic Ingredients, Uses, and Effects For Health

Styrofoam or Polystyren, better known in the community when it is used as a container for food, generally resembling the shape of a box or a glass of mineral water is white and fleeting physically look like Cork. Styrofoam became popular in the food business because it can withstand the leaked so good is used as a food container has, besides the packaging is capable of maintaining a temperature, the cost is less expensive, easy to set up. But behind all the advantages offered by this packaging, he brought two threats to human health and the environment.

The base material used is 90-95% 5-10% polysterenedan gas such as n-butane or n-pentane. The characteristic Polysterene lightweight, rigid, opaque, brittle and cheap.

Material that is better known as the Cork is indeed practical, lightweight, relatively resistant to leak and can maintain the temperature of the food properly. This is what makes this material very well-liked and widely used, including in the instant food industry. But this material is in fact not less dangerous with plastic. Due to its fragile then polistiren mixed zinc and compounds butadien. This led to the loss of properties of the tiren policy crystal clear and change color to white milk.

Styrofoam Usage Advantages

Styrofoam that is often known as the Cork is used to package instant food, or fast food. The container is widely preferred as a light, resistant to leak and can withstand heat up to some time. However, to keep in mind the styrofoam made from styren copolymer is a type of plastic that has the characteristics of lightweight, rigid, fragile and translucent. These ingredients are mixed with synthetic rubber (butadiene) so that the colour be white milk. So that their nature is more pliable and durable, added substance plastizer like dioktiplatat (DOP) and butyl hydroxy toluene (BHT). According to research from the Center for the study of chemical substance content of LIPI-on this last process capable of preventing leakage and can still retain its shape when held. These materials are also capable of retaining heat and cold but still comfortably held, can maintain the freshness and integrity of ingredients that are packaged, the price is cheaper, safer, as well as light (Figure 13).

The ill effects of Styrofoam to food

Styrofoam has become the choice of food business, has bad effects to certain foods because polystyrene material can decompose into food in contact when styrene in hot conditions. At a time when food or drink is nothing in styrofoam containers, chemicals contained in the styrofoam will move to the food. The shift will be more rapid if:

Foods that contain high fat, like fried foods or foods containing coconut milk.
  • Styren styrofoam base material as indeed are able to dissolve in fat, therefore this type of container is not suitable for the high fat-containing milk, cream or coffee are blended.
  • Food or drinks containing alcohol or acid, such as lemon tea or fizzy drinks.
  • Styren as styrofoam base material are also insoluble in alcohol.
  • High temperature
  • Getting hot food will cause a chemical displacement occurs styrofoam into the food. The use of styrofoam in restaurants, fast food, and the diviners on the roadside to wrap foods that Cook in the newly completed or in hot conditions. Some even fast food outlets that heat the food that has been wrapped in styrofoam in the microwave. How the multiplicity of harmful chemical substances move into the food and ultimately get into our body.
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