Dabao-ing Food? Beware of This

Are you getting a side of harmful plastic molecules with your fish soup?

How often do you drop by your neighbourhood food court to take home some hot, piquant and savoury hawker fare? This isn’t just about the calories, but something far worse- toxic chemicals from plastic containers lurking in your food.

A study by George Washington University found that regular dining at restaurants, cafeterias and fast-food outlets may increase the level of potentially toxic chemicals called phthalates in the body.

Phthalates are a group of chemicals that are found in plastic materials. These molecules are therefore present in food packaging items such as takeaway boxes and even gloves used by food handlers. Phthalates can also leach into food items from the equipment used to prepare the food during the food-processing stage.