After a tiring day or if you’re feeling lazy, tossing leftovers from the restaurant in the oven may seem the best thing to do.
An oven can be a godsend on days when you don’t feel like putting much effort into heating your food. However, not all takeaway containers are oven safe and should be used in the oven.
Many times, grocery store food or restaurant takeout arrives in Styrofoam containers, which raises the question, can you put Styrofoam in the oven?
Let’s discuss in detail if it is safe to put Styrofoam in the oven.
Before discussing if you can put Styrofoam in the oven, it is essential to understand what Styrofoam is since many people confuse it with other materials. Styrofoam is mainly composed of white or light blue polystyrene foam, a form of plastic (1).
It is a lightweight material that is commonly used in the production of packaging or takeaway containers, disposable plates, or egg cartons.
Many individuals may believe putting styrofoam products in the oven is okay because most are microwave-safe. But, it is crucial to understand that you should never put Styrofoam in the oven.
Expanded polystyrene, the primary component of most Styrofoam products, is a substance that dissolves under heat.
At 100°C, Styrofoam will start to soften; once it reaches 240°, it will completely melt. Therefore, while storing leftovers in Styrofoam in the refrigerator is safe, it is never a good idea to heat up leftovers in the oven.
Here are a few additional dangers associated with heating Styrofoam in the oven and the risk of the container melting. Read about some of the dangers below.
Did you know that according to studies, Styrofoam includes harmful compounds, including styrene, which is dangerous to humans since it is considered carcinogenic (2)?
The polystyrene substance that makes up Styrofoam, when heated in the oven, has the potential to produce toxic compounds that might contaminate your food.
According to NIST, polystyrene starts to break down when the temperature reaches 200 °C (3,4).
Once it reaches this temperature, it emits microscopic amounts of chemicals. However, if the temperature reaches 224 °C., the polystyrene begins to dissolve and produce an overwhelming amount of toxic substances, which can seriously harm your health.
When Styrofoam reaches a high temperature in the oven and begins to burn, it can emit hazardous fumes that can damage one’s health if inhaled.
The smoke may contaminate the air in your home, making it dangerous for you and your children.
Important note! Do not be alarmed if you heated Styrofoam in the oven before reading this. Heating Styrofoam in the oven once or twice may not be enough to affect health significantly.
Styrofoam is a flammable substance. This implies that it may catch on fire if exposed to high temperatures. Many manufacturers add compounds to Styrofoam to reduce fire hazards and ensure the safety of their clients.
However, it is advisable to be cautious to ensure your home does not catch fire.
With all of these considerations in mind, it is preferable to plate your dish before placing it in the oven. The dangers of heating Styrofoam containers make it preferable to go through minimal effort than to put your life in danger.
Now that you know Styrofoam is not oven safe, you may wonder why stores and restaurants favor Styrofoam wrapping for their food.
Here are some of the reasons:
Now that you know not to put Styrofoam in the oven, here are some alternative materials you can use to heat your food safely:
If you want to ensure you are following the safest and best possible method of heating food in the oven, here is how you can do that:
Many people automatically assume that if you should not put Styrofoam in the oven, you shouldn’t put it in the microwave either. However, you should be aware that if the Styrofoam is microwave safe, you can place it in the microwave.
Most Styrofoam materials in the market that carry food items are microwave safe.
If you are doubtful, you can always call the manufacturer or ask the restaurant where you received the food. Moreover, knowing how to heat food in a Styrofoam container in a microwave is also essential.
It is recommended to heat Styrofoam containers in the microwave with a glass of water inside. The glass of water maintains moisture in the microwave and helps keep the Styrofoam from becoming brittle or dry.
Important tip! Always wear microwave or oven mitts when taking Styrofoam containers out of the microwave or oven to ensure you don’t burn your hands.
Let’s say you have a bulk of Styrofoam containers you bought to reheat food in the oven.
Now that you know they are not safe to put in the oven, what do you use them for? There are many ways you can use Styrofoam containers.
Here are a few ways you can use Styrofoam containers:
We hope that the following information helped clear any queries and doubts about can you put Styrofoam in the oven.
Always use oven-safe materials to heat your food since heating food in materials like Styrofoam can become a health hazard and a fire risk.
Instead of Styrofoam, you can use other microwave-safe containers such as cookie pans or glass/ ceramic containers to heat your food safely.
Check also:
Styrofoam is not capable of surviving extreme heat. At 100 degrees Celsius, this substance will begin to liquefy. Styrofoam containers shouldn’t be used in the oven since they are composed of polystyrene foam, which quickly decomposes when exposed to high temperatures.
Polystyrene packaging and food containers have been approved by the (FDA) for use with both cold and hot food products (5).
Also, before putting Styrofoam in the microwave, always check for a little microwave sign featuring wavy lines to tell if the polystyrene container is safe to put in the microwave.
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