The Monstress foody myth busters #4

I received an email the other day, claiming that microwaving food in plastic wrap or plastic containers releases dioxins into the food and that these dioxins cause cancer:

Is this true?

In a word: nope.

Firstly, most plastics used in food wraps and packaging containers do not contain the chemical constituents that can form dioxins. Producing dioxins with these plastics would be like trying to make a ham and cheese sandwich without the ham...or the cheese...or the bread.

Secondly, dioxins are a family of compounds that are produced by combustion at high temperatures – I’m talking above 700 degrees Fahrenheit. In other words, even if all of the dioxin ingredients were present, you would need to have a very hot fire in your microwave oven, in which case, not only would your food be cremated but your  microwave would be melted and you would probably have to call the fire brigade to put out the flaming inferno that was once your kitchen.

If you’re really intent on reducing potentially harmful carcinogens in your food during cooking, give your frying pan a rest instead.

Frying is the only form of cooking that produces trace amounts of dioxins in food. Oils and fats used in frying contain substances that begin breaking down into known carcinogens at high temperatures.

But for Thai fried rice, I'll take my chances.