Clear Food Storage Containers
Clear food storage containers are an ideal solution to your food storage needs.
Some obvious advantages of clear containers are that you can see what you have stored in the container. Because these containers are usually made from polycarbonate they are clear and durable. The polycarbonate plastic also is less porous than some plastics.
Polycarbonate plastic food containers resist stains and won't absorb odors. They also are resistant to absorbing chemicals and toxins. This makes containers made from hard plastics or polycarbonates ideal for food storage.
Clear containers sometimes become discolored over time. This is usually because of micro-scarring caused from abrasive dish soaps and dishwashers. Discoloration can also occur from overheating in the microwave. Higher quality plastic food containers usually are more heat resistant and dishwasher safe.
If your clear plastic food storage container is cracking, staining, pitting, clouding, or becoming discolored then chances are it is not a high quality plastic. High quality plastic containers will resist cracking, staining, pitting, chipping, clouding or discoloration.
Why would anyone care about the quality of clear plastic containers? Because of a chemical called BPA or Bisphenol A. BPA is used in making polycarbonate plastic. BPA has been identified as a compound that can cause health problems in people if enough of it is consumed.
BPA has been in the news because hard plastic baby bottles were made from a polycarbonate that used BPA in it. Although the FDA has ruled that the levels of BPA's found in baby bottles and other plastic containers is safe most manufacturers have discontinued using plastics with BPA in them for baby bottles.
One solution is to choose clear plastic containers that do not have any BPA in them. It's also a good idea to use good quality plastic containers because BPA is leeched out of plastic that breaks down due to heating and chemical interactions. The more resistant plastic is to heating and chemicals the less BPA will leach out into your foods.
To identify food containers that have BPA in them look on the bottom of the container. There should be triange with a number in the center of it. a number 7 or a number 3 may means the manufacturer used BPA in the making of the plastic.
