Question from LLM
greetings: I am interested to know more about plastic storage. I am inundated with plastic storage bags, Glad brand, mostly. I am confused about freezing food. I am switching to glass gradually for storage, but the freezing has me mystified. Should it be freezer paper; glass does not seem an option for the freezer because of the size of meat cuts to freeze. I am gradually buying more cast iron cookware which I like best of all anyway, and I always was a little leery of teflon coatings. Your website is fascinating. I am 71 years old, so obviously have avoided most of the toxic pitfalls, but it is never too late to do the right thing. Am going to order your book, as it will be easier to look up a question. Would appreciate your advice about the freezing question, though–I’m not sure all my questions will be in the book! Thanks, LLM from Iowa.
Debra’s Answer
Plastic food storage bags are made from polyethylene, which is considered to be a “safe” plastic. Freezer paper is heavy kraft paper coated with polyethylene, which acts as a barrier to moisture and air. So either way, plastic is involved.
From a disposal viewpoint, the polyethylene bags would be better. They can be reused many times, and recycled, because they are pure polyethylene. The plastic would have to be removed from the freezer paper, making it difficult to recycle the plastic and difficult for the paper to biodegrade.
I’d go with the plastic bags.
Another thing..heat leaches plasticizers and freezing slows leaching. Polyethylene is not known to leach, but this is just another reason why freezing in food-grade plastic bags is not a health concern.
