Question from Henry
I wonder about the safety of the plastic wrap that grocery stores put around meats (e.g., steaks and roasts). It appears to be the same type of plastic wrap that most of us have in our homes and which (I assume) contains plasticizers and other constituents of plastics that might leach into the meat. Should we be concerned? And is butcher paper any better? (It, too, has some sort of shiny, plastic-looking material on it.) I keep worrying that the meat I cook is tainted with toxic plastic. Thanks for your help.
Debra’s Answer
Plastic wrap is made from PVC, one of the most toxic plastics. In 1998, Consumer Reports magazine announced that Consumers Union (CU) scientists had found that cheddar cheese packaged in clear PVC cling wrap contained levels of DEHA (di-2-ethylhexyl adipate). Though there is clear evidence that chemicals are leaching into foods from PVC, the toxicity is not clearly established, so the plastic continues to be allows.
The most prudent thing would be to not eat foods wrapped in cling wrap, but they are so prevalent that it is very difficult to find foods in the normal lines of commerce without them.
The way to have PVC-free food is to purchased fresh ingredients from farmer’s markets or through Community Supported Agriculture programs or from stores that don’t wrap all the produce in plastic, and use paper bags. Then prepare all your meals from scratch at home.
