Can You Microwave Styrofoam?

You had a grand celebration at night at your home. The food you ordered was delicious, but still, you couldn’t finish it. Therefore you stored the leftovers in your fridge, saying you would eat them tomorrow.

Now you have opened your fridge and headed towards your microwave oven to reheat the leftovers. But wait, are you going to place the same styrofoam in microwave where you kept your food, or do you use something else? Wait, “is styrofoam microwave safe?”  

At the end of this post, you will surely be able to answer  “can you microwave styrofoam?”

1. What do you know about Styrofoam?

When we say the word styrofoam, a picture of white and lightweight box clicks in our mind. However, styrofoam wasn’t made as a packing material first.

Dow Chemical Company first introduced styrofoam for their polystyrene product, which they used for construction. Styrofoam is an excellent insulator used in wires and other items to inhibit the passage of current and heat.

Therefore, people in the food industry hit upon the idea to use it for packing food items to keep them warm. Furthermore, it was more cost-friendly than other steel containers.

2. Can I Microwave Styrofoam?

Microwave has made it convenient for us to reheat our leftovers in no time, but you need to know what material will be best to use for reheating.

If you plan to microwave styrofoam, you better hold for a minute and catch some breath. You may feel shocked after exploring that the white box is not styrofoam! Yes, you have read it right.

The packaging industry is making a similar product to styrofoam using organic material styrene. The packaging material you use is EPS or expanded polystyrene foam.

FDA has tested to check “can styrofoam go in the microwave or not?” Unfortunately, the results were not encouraging as styrene in the packaging box was transferred to the food.

Styrene is a carcinogenic chemical that induces uncontrolled growth of cells in animals and humans who volunteered for the test.

Therefore, keeping all the scenarios in mind, the FDA announced that all safe microwaving products must have a small lining or have proper labeling.

In addition, another reason for avoiding styrofoam containers is their non-biodegradable nature to plastic. 

3. Can you put styrofoam in the microwave?

Yes, if it is mentioned on the box that it is safe for heating in the microwave, then you are all set to reheat your refrigerated food items.

But there are chances of spillage and leakage of semi-solid items in these containers. If you are heating your cheeseburger, the cheese may melt and make the inside of the box messy and sticky.

Last Words

There is no harm in using the electrical appliance to warm your frozen food item. All you need is to pick your container wisely. 

If your container is not microwave-friendly, you are risking your health. You can use safe glassware that can resist high temperatures without cracking.