Is 40 year old Tupperware safe?
BPA, as well as arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury, are dangerous substances for humans, so if you've been using vintage Tupperware, the best thing you can do is not use them anymore. Plastic not only harms the environment but has also directly harmed humans for years.
What is not said in this statement but is implied is that at least some of Tupperware products sold prior to 2010 did in fact contain BPA. For consumers who want to be absolutely certain they have removed all known BPA sources, old Tupperware products manufactured prior to 2010 would be suspect.
While the vast majority of Tupperware products are considered safe, for example, some of its food storage containers use polycarbonate (plastic #7), which has been shown to leach the harmful hormone-disrupting chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) into food items after repeated uses.
- It's more than 10 years old. ...
- The lid is broken or lost. ...
- It's stinky or stained. ...
- It has a weird texture. ...
- You just don't like it.
Now she's turned her attention to old Tupperware items, with her studies delivering some alarming results. During a recent test of Tupperware's yellow vintage measuring cups - used in thousands of kitchens around the world for generations - not only did the expert find lead, but she found arsenic as well.
Health warning: Your vintage Tupperware may contain harmful lead and arsenic. For anyone who grew up in the 1950s, '60s or even '70s, brightly-coloured Tupperware was likely a fixture in your kitchen.
Vintage Tupperware may contain lead and arsenic, which can cause health risks such as high blood pressure, nervous system brain damage, bone poisoning, kidney failure, and poisoning of teeth. Similarly, arsenic is linked to causing diabetes, cancer, lung disease, heart, and vascular diseases.
Recycling Information
Each plastic recycling number is code for the specific plastic that your containers are made of. Most Tupperware is imprinted with the number five, representing polypropylene, generally a food safe plastic.
As of March 2010, items sold by Tupperware US & CA are BPA free. Join us in our mission to Do Good for people and the planet through thoughtful and conscientious product innovation and design practices that help to better lives and reduce waste.
When it comes to ensuring the safety of your tupperware contents, the biggest factor to manage is temperature, says Schaffner. To avoid dangerous bacteria growth, hot food needs to be kept above 140 degrees F, and cold food needs to be stored below 40 degrees F.
