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Black Plastic is Poisoning Our Food

Heating Food in Black Plastic Creates a Toxic Brew Joel D. Joseph (Mr. Joseph is author of three books on plastic and CEO, War Against Plastic Two companies are now…

Heating Food in Black Plastic Creates a Toxic Brew

Joel D. Joseph

(Mr. Joseph is author of three books on plastic and

CEO, War Against Plastic

Two companies are now serving up black plastic with their dinners: Tempo and Factor. These companies deliver frozen prepared meals that are packaged in black plastic and give instructions to heat them up in a microwave in their black plastic container. Tempo and Factor must have their heads in the sand as it is now widely known that heating black plastic (or any plastic) is a harmful to the health of those eating this contemporary version of “TV dinners.”

The Research

“Considerable research shows that the longer a food is in a container and the more the food is heated while in the container the higher its levels of contaminants, such as phthalates. This effect depends upon the container type and the food. The clear message is that if the only way to obtain a food is plastic packaging then repackage it in glass or other safe containers as soon as possible,” Joseph Pizzorono, “Plastic Food Container Safety, International Journal of Integrative Medicine (Encinitas). 2024 May;23(2):6–10. Heating any plastic releases contaminants and is not a safe or healthy practice.

Black Plastic is Even More Harmful than Clear Plastic

A 2018 University of Plymouth (England) study found toxic chemicals present at up to 30 times the levels considered safe in a full 40 percent of the black plastic toys, thermoses, cocktail stirrers and utensils tested. Science & Technology, 2018; DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b04685. The scientists discovered high concentrations of hazardous elements including antimony, barium, bromine, cadmium, chromium, lead and selenium

A 2024 study conducted by scientists from Toxic Free Future and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam published in Chemosphere (October, 2024) found high levels of cancer-causing, hormone-disrupting flame retardant chemicals in a variety of household products made with black plastics including food serviceware, kitchen utensils, and toys. While the study overestimated the levels of contaminants, the authors stood by their conclusion that black plastic should not be used with food.

“The ‘black’ in plastics is due to the addition of carbon black, which is basically a form of soot produced by the incomplete combustion of coal, petroleum or vegetable matter. It is added to plastics as a reinforcing substance, the same reason for which it finds widespread use in tires. Another benefit is that carbon black absorbs ultraviolet radiation that can cause plastics to degrade. Now for the problems. Carbon black contains numerous compounds, some of which, like the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), have carcinogenic properties and have led the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) to categorize carbon black as ‘possibly carcinogenic to humans.’ “ The Dark Side of Black Plastics, by Joe Schwartz, PhD, McGill University Office for Science and Society published in Environment, Aug. 17, 2023.  Dr. Schwartz noted, “Prepared food marketers like the black containers because they are cheap and are visually more appealing than their clear counterparts.”

I have written to Tempo and Factor and have threatened legal action if they did not discontinue use of black plastic containers.  These companies could easily package their prepared dinners in aluminum containers that would not pose the risks that black plastic does.

When you use plastic utensils with hot food or microwave those takeout containers, you’re potentially releasing a cocktail of chemicals into your meal. Dr. Jaime Ross (University of Rhode Island) warns that this process can release tiny particles called microplastics and nanoplastics into your food.

Protect Yourself

            If you buy food in plastic containers, take the food out of the container and heat it in a glass or metal container. Or better yet, buy fresh food and cook it yourself on the stove or in an oven.  Even vegetables and meat sold in plasticpackaging can contain plastic particles. Rinse these foods carefully and you can remove some of the plastic particles.  If you can, buy vegetables sold without plastic packaging.

            Join our war against plastic on our website, www.waragainstplastic.com. You can

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