Storage containers can be found in almost any home, as they’re a simple and cheap item. They’re also very useful and versatile, so people use these types of containers for general storage, rather than strictly just for food. There are plenty of food storage containers available, many of which are very similar, so recommending one particular brand or type wouldn’t serve much of a purpose here. Instead, I’m going to focus on the materials used for the storage container, in order to introduce you to the benefits of choosing glass containers, rather than other alternatives.
The most common material used for food storage containers is plastic. This is due to the convenience of vacuum moulding and the relative cheapness with which plastic can be mass-produced. Also, plastic containers can be easily looked after and don’t smash or break too easily.
Plastic storage containers have come under scrutiny in recent times though, as scientific experiments have shown that there’s a possibility that dangerous chemicals within plastic have the potential to seep into your food, especially where there is surface contact. The thrust of this claim is that unnaturally high levels of oestrogen can get into your food, causing potentially serious problems, as high levels of oestrogen can lead to breast cancer.
As a result, some people have turned to other alternatives, such as glass storage containers, or storing food in stainless steel pans. These storage materials don’t allow for the same level of chemical transfer and are generally considered to be safer. This risk needs to be considered, though you should be aware that no cases of breast cancer have been directly linked to the use of plastic storage containers as yet.
When compared to all of the available options, glass wins out on the chemical transfer front. Glass allows for the lowest level of chemical transfer, and is perhaps the best material for food storage. In addition to this, glass can be put in fridges, freezers, ovens and microwaves safely. This makes it comparatively better than plastic, which can melt under lower temperatures than glass.
However, glass isn’t the best material on all counts. Glass is comparatively brittle and will smash if dropped. Also it costs more than many other materials, and isn’t exactly cost effective unless it’s looked after properly. On a similar theme, one of the biggest problems with glass is the safety risk posed if it does break. Shards of glass are particularly good at cutting through skin and this can cause a lot of pain if trodden on or picked up incorrectly.
Other than this though, glass storage containers are the best material available. On the basis of information already provided, you may be concerned slightly by the fact that glass storage containers require plastic lids in order to be fully effective. However, this shouldn’t bother you, as chemical transfer from lid to food is extremely unlikely to happen unless there is surface contact. It’s more than likely that you’ll rarely fill containers right to the brim, so you’d be well advised to ignore any chemical transfer concerns relating to this.
To conclude, it’s fair to say that glass storage containers are an ideal solution to your food storage issues. Other materials can be used effectively, though glass is the most recommendable. To make some further points, it’s often the case that glass containers look far better than their plastic alternatives. Also, they can be far more cost efficient than using disposable containers, which in the long run offer a false economy. A final thing to point out is that glass is recyclable and widespread usage of glass would be far better for the environment than an increase in the production and consumption of plastic containers.
Be aware of these facts and opinions if you’re about to invest in food storage containers, and consider the circumstances, benefits and disadvantages associated with the container that you choose to buy. Hopefully this will help you to make a good choice.
