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Listmates,

I have gotten a number of responses to my original post on 7/28.
They included some basic thank you's, several that were glad they did
not have to go out and buy new cookware, and some references to
dioxin from plastics in food.  One listmate added another website
with the story of the urban myth/Internet rumor from her son.

Based on the questions related to dioxin and the use of plastics,
more needs to be said.  I put a plus sign (+) in front of each
reference.

HISTORY:   My original post dealt only with the statement related to
an ACS recommendation--I focused only on the use of plastics related
to that statement.  The e-mail from my relative had much longer
message about creating dioxin by cooking in plastics and the caution
not to freeze water in plastic containers (which I really
questioned).  The recommendation about Corning Ware was in my
message.  A Dr. Edward Fujimoto was quoted and there was a reference
to a Johns Hopkins' Newsletter and Walter Reed Medical Center.  I
wanted to check out the message and did not go immediately to the
truth or fiction site, but started with Johns Hopkins.  I
communicated with a faculty member there who was involved with the
environment and dioxin. My message was that this was an urban myth
and basic information about dioxin in the environment and in the
animal fat/saturated fat in our food.

DIOXIN:  Dioxin is in our food, specifically in the animal fat that
we eat.  THE DIOXIN IN FOOD COMES FROM OUR ENVIRONMENT and not from
the container you cook it in.  Dioxin is a byproduct of incineration
of a variety of plastics used in industry, hospitals, home.
Incineration occurs at high temperatures (1500 to 3000 degrees).  The
best way to avoid consuming dioxin in your food
is to eat a diet low in saturated fats.  Cooking in your microwave
does not add dioxin to the food.
+ For more information about dioxin see:
http://books.nap.edu/books/0309089611/html/  This is a publication of
the National Academic Press:  Dioxins and Dioxin-like Compounds in
the Food Supply:  Strategies to Decrease Exposure  (2003)  Food and
Nutrition Board (FNB), Institute of Medicine (IOM).  This is an
extensive document and well indexed--a total of some 300 pages.
+For information about the temperatures involved with incineration
see:
http://www.rpi.edu/dept/chem-eng/Biotech-Environ/incinerator.html
+This site from a listmate:
http://www.endometriosisassn.org/environment.html  This is about a
toxic link to endometriosis and does point out that dioxins are
formed during incineration.

PLASTICS IN THE MICROWAVE:  There are a variety of plastics used.
There are a number of classifications.  Some plastics migrate into
our food on contact.  Other plastics can come in contact with foods
and do not migrate/leach.
+ http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2002/602_plastic.html  "Plastics
and the Microwave" is from the FDA Consumer Magazine.
+ http://www.phthalates.org/yourhealth/index.asp This is the site for
the The Phthalate Esters Panel (the Panel) of the American Chemistry
Council.  The health topics include several topics and give basic
information.  One topic is on packaging of food.  There is a glossary
too.
NOTE:  You can find a number of "green" sites that recommend not
cooking in plastic, cooling foods before putting in plastics, and so
on.  If you want reasons not to use plastics, you can find them, Many
are without documentation.

DR. EDWARD FUJIMOTO (or Dr. Edward K. Fujimoto):  Dr. Fujimoto is a
real person with a Ph.D.  He did a tv interview in Hawaii on January
23, 2002, and gave out the dioxin information.  He apparently never
produced any research for the persons following up on the tv program.
If you run a Google search using his name, you get numerous sites
where his name comes up--some without the "K".  All appear to be the
same person.  You can find his bio and his research does not mention
dioxin.  Ironically, he is apparently at Johns Hopkins as an
instructor in Business--they apparently have a program that has folks
from businesses teaching.  There is a reference to his position in a
local company.
+ http://www.breakthechain.org/exclusives/dioxins.html
+ http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/d/dioxins.htm
+ http://hoaxinfo.com/toxicplastic.htm
+ http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl-microwave-dioxin.htm
+ http://www.snopes.com/toxins/plastic.htm  This site came from a
listmate's son.

WHAT TO DO?????
1.  Follow instructions on prepared foods ready for the microwave, as
tv dinners, carefully.
2.  Follow manufacturer instructions for all cookware that you use on
the stove, in the oven, or in the microwave.  (There were  similar
discussions on non-stick pans in the past.)
3.  Use only plastic bags specifically designed for food preparation
in boiling water.
4.  Don't reuse plastic or paper containers that are not specifically
designed and labeled for that purpose.
5.  If you have concerns, consider varying your cooking methods and
containers when possible.
6.  Recyle plastic containers when possible = use again rather than
totally incinerate.
7.  If you get chain type e-mails that tell you to "pass this on to
family and friends" think twice about sending it on. " Pass this on"
seems to be a red flag.

I still freeze bottled water on a hot day or to put in my lunch bag.
I am still using some plastic containers in my cooking and will
continue to do so.

Betsy
Austin, Texas

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