Scientist names kitchen utensils that are dangerous to use

Scientists have repeatedly emphasized the dangers of plastic in food preparation. However, it is not so easy to get rid of it completely. Still, they insist on not using one item.

It is a black plastic spatula that people use when cooking something in a frying pan. Getting rid of black plastic kitchen utensils is a low-stakes move, and it's worth it, The Atlantic writes.

Cooking with any plastic is a dubious endeavor, as heat promotes the migration of potentially harmful plastic compounds from the polymers into the food and thus into your body. But according to Andrew Turner, a biochemist at Plymouth University, it is especially important to avoid black plastic.

In 2018, Turner published one of the first articles claiming that black plastic products are likely to be routinely made from recycled e-waste. The clue was the high content of flame retardants (substances that make it harder for materials to ignite and reduce the speed of flame spread) in plastic. In some cases, the mixture of chemicals matched those commonly used in computer and TV cases, many of which are treated with flame retardants to prevent them from catching fire.

Because optical sensors at recycling facilities cannot detect them, black plastics are largely discarded from household waste streams, leading to a shortage of black base material for recycled plastics. Thus, the demand for black plastic, according to Turner's study, is largely met by recycled e-waste. TV and computer cases, like most plastic waste in the world, are typically recycled with little regulation and are ultimately processed into consumer products, including spatulas and slotted spoons that come into contact with food.

Another scientific study found that flame retardants in black cookware easily migrate into hot oil. The health problems associated with these chemicals are well known: some flame retardants are endocrine disruptors that can interfere with the body's hormonal system, including thyroid disease, diabetes, and cancer.

"When you use black plastic products, there is a risk that they may be contaminated," says Megan Liu, Science and Policy Manager at Toxic-Free Future.

Replacing a black plastic spatula with a steel or silicone one is an easy way to cut at least part of your daily dose of hormone disruptors.

Earlier, OBOZ.UA reported that sleep experts named everyday habits that prevent you from falling asleep. According to scientists, two habits are the worst for your sleep: drinking alcohol as a means of falling asleep and having a late dinner.

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