Asante heshima yangu kwako.
Microwaving Plastic
Email:
Anyone whos heated something up in the
microwave has probably wondered about
possible health effects. One common email
exploits this fear by quoting information
allegedly contained in a newsletter from
Johns Hopkins University, adding that the
information is being circulated at Walter
Reed Army Medical Center. Various versions
of this email say a Dr. Fujimoto from Castle
Hospital was on a TV program warning that
heating plastic in the microwave or freezing
water in plastic bottles releases toxins, like
dioxin and DEHA.
In August 2004, the email took on new life
when the name of an American Cancer
Society staffer at the bottom of the email
seemed to give the story real credibility.
In 2007, a "cancer update" email quoting a
newsletter purportedly from Johns Hopkins
Hospital with lots of other false claims was
added to the email.
Fact:
This email has its roots in a January 2002
appearance on KHON-TV, Honolulu by a
genuine person, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, who
apparently made these claims. The US Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) on its Web
site does say substances used to make
plastics can leach into foods. But the agency
has found the levels expected to migrate into
foods to be well within the margin of safety
based on information available to the agency.
As for dioxin, the FDA says it has seen no
evidence that plastic containers or films
contain dioxins and knows of no reason why
they would.
As to the information added in 2007 and
attributed to Johns Hopkins Hospital, Johns
Hopkins officials say they did not publish the
information nor do they consider its contents
valid.
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