In the breakfast shop, plastic cups are filled with hot soybean milk; In the takeaway order, the steaming Congee was placed in a plastic box... Recently, many short video platforms have been popular with similar videos. Related videos claim that these plastic lunch boxes containing hot food secrete toxic substances such as phthalates and fluorides, and microplastics can also penetrate into food. Some netizens joked, 'The takeout in my hand suddenly doesn't smell good.'. So, do these packaging boxes containing steaming hot food really pose a safety risk? The reporter recently interviewed relevant experts on this matter. China strictly controls the use of plastic tableware through the Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China and relevant national mandatory standards. Specifically, the control covers product sensory perception, overall cleanliness, and total migration of aromatic primary amines. ”Du Yue, director of the Chemical Microbial Testing Laboratory at the China Packaging Research and Testing Center, said in an interview with reporters. At present, plastic tableware on the market is mainly made of polypropylene, and some are also made of polyethylene. Du Yue said that these two types of plastics are very suitable for making tableware in terms of mechanical properties, ductility, and oil and water resistance. And harmful substances such as phthalates, which are of great concern to everyone, increase the ductility and processability of plastics, making them softer. However, in the processing of plastic lunch boxes, due to the already soft nature of polypropylene and polyethylene, manufacturers do not need to add phthalates from a functional and cost perspective. Another type of harmful substance of public concern - fluoride - plays a role in improving water and oil resistance in tableware. Plastic products such as polypropylene lunch boxes are already waterproof and oil resistant enough to meet daily usage needs, so there is no need to add fluoride during the production process. Speaking of the highly anticipated microplastics, Du Yue admitted that microplastics have existed since the day plastics appeared. It's like the relationship between paper and paper scraps. With technological advancements, people are now able to discover and detect microplastics. Microplastics are mainly produced during the long-term use and aging process of plastic products. Plastic meal boxes, as disposable tableware, have a short usage time, high replacement frequency, and rarely show significant aging. Therefore, consumers are relatively limited by the impact of microplastics when using them. ”Du Yue added. If it is impossible to avoid eating takeout, how can we minimize the potential safety risks brought by packaging as much as possible? Regarding this, Du Yue said that firstly, consumers should choose businesses with good reputation and high credibility on food delivery platforms. These types of businesses usually have certain guarantees for both the quality of their dishes and packaging. Secondly, choose food delivery merchants who use plastic tableware produced by legitimate enterprises. Food packaging, including disposable tableware and plastic meal boxes, must obtain a production license from the provincial quality supervision department before they can be put into circulation. These certified enterprises are required to inspect their products annually in accordance with the mandatory national food safety standards, while also accepting supervision and spot checks from relevant departments. In the above regulatory process, relevant departments attach great importance to detecting harmful substances in products, so plastic tableware produced by legitimate enterprises has quality assurance. Regarding this issue, Du Yue also suggests that consumers should consume takeout food as soon as possible after receiving it. This can maximize the color, aroma, and taste of the food while reducing the risk of packaging on the food. Additionally, he mentioned that it is not recommended to repeatedly use plastic lunch boxes. These disposable tableware are designed for single use, and repeated use can accelerate plastic aging and provide conditions for microbial growth, thereby increasing food safety risks, "said Du Yue. Finally, he reminded the public to follow the instructions on the food box when using plastic food utensils for takeout. Sometimes when we feel the food is cold, we directly put the takeout food box into the microwave to heat it up, but most food boxes cannot be directly microwave heated. Food boxes that can be microwave heated are usually marked with the 'Microwave Heated' label at the bottom, "Du Yue said. (New Society)