View Full Version : Freezer Bag cooking? and cancer....?
I was always taught not to put tupperware in the microwave and not to cook in plastic. Well i was talking to my mom about freezer bag cooking and she advised me not to do it. I do it anyway though because its easy to make scrambled eggs in my jetboil that way. But is this unhealthy?? If I were to do this often would the chance of cancer increase?
papa john
11-11-2008, 16:18
http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/cookplastic.asp
Probably are safe to do so. I do it and know lots who do but you are young and have lot's of miles left on you!
Most FBC style meals are prepared by adding very hot water to the bag, not placing the bag in boiling water. The eggs in a bag is pretty much the only recipe where the bag is submerged in boiling water.
The temp of the water used in recipes is in line with the temps recommended in microwave use (major brand bags are microwave safe.) The big 2 players make their bags in the US and are of food grade plastic. They contain neither BPA nor Dioxin.
Original Tupperware was not designed for microwave use.
sheepdog
11-11-2008, 17:23
Most FBC style meals are prepared by adding very hot water to the bag, not placing the bag in boiling water. The eggs in a bag is pretty much the only recipe where the bag is submerged in boiling water.
The temp of the water used in recipes is in line with the temps recommended in microwave use (major brand bags are microwave safe.) The big 2 players make their bags in the US and are of food grade plastic. They contain neither BPA nor Dioxin.
Original Tupperware was not designed for microwave use.
You rock sarbar. I am putting your cookbook on my Christmas list. :banana:banana
budforester
11-11-2008, 18:16
You rock sarbar. I am putting your cookbook on my Christmas list. :banana:banana
I want both volumes, Santa.
Blue Jay
11-11-2008, 18:55
As with many things in life you have to judge risk vs. reward. Is not washing a pot worth being a lab rat in a completely blind study? How do we decide what to dread and why do we do it so badly? Threats such as bears and terrorist attacks trigger such over reaction that they overrule rational thought while simple things like not drinking completely unknown chemicals in unknown quantities, trigger nothing.
sheepdog
11-11-2008, 20:38
U Gotta die of sumpin. Worrying about things will probably kill you quicker.
I want both volumes, Santa.
I handed over manuscript for book 2 to my husband 2 nights ago :bananaWe need to shoot the cover and do final editing. We are shooting for January! Only taken 3 years to write it :o Oops.....
sheepdog
11-12-2008, 11:09
I handed over manuscript for book 2 to my husband 2 nights ago :bananaWe need to shoot the cover and do final editing. We are shooting for January! Only taken 3 years to write it :o Oops.....
Since January is after Christmas in Michigan. I guess I will have to buy the second one myself. Cool
... Threats such as bears and terrorist attacks trigger such over reaction that they overrule rational thought while simple things like not drinking completely unknown chemicals in unknown quantities, trigger nothing.
Excellent post.
I was always taught not to put tupperware in the microwave and not to cook in plastic. Well i was talking to my mom about freezer bag cooking and she advised me not to do it. I do it anyway though because its easy to make scrambled eggs in my jetboil that way. But is this unhealthy?? If I were to do this often would the chance of cancer increase?
I doubt if anyone really knows. So few people cook in freezer bags that I suspect no one has ever bothered to research the idea.
I do an occasional freezer bag meal, and occasionally heat up frozen vegetables from my garden in freezer bags. But I wouldn't do such things more than occasionally.
Weary
take-a-knee
11-12-2008, 23:16
Wanna know what'll likely cause cancer for hikers? The crap they live off of, like slim jims, pepperoni, and pop tarts. I wouldn't worry about the freezer bags. Recipes like Sabar's will likely improve your trail nutrition.
Blue Jay
11-13-2008, 08:14
Wanna know what'll likely cause cancer for hikers? The crap they live off of, like slim jims, pepperoni, and pop tarts.
You have that right, but we have to be careful or we'll sound like Minisota.
sheepdog
11-13-2008, 08:24
I had a lady come into the sporting goods store, she reeked of cigarettes and was afraid she was going to get cancer from a Nalgene bottle.
I hope you sold her one of those fancy lined Sigg bottles.
GeneralLee10
11-16-2008, 13:00
I have found a web site that sells real pan liners for cooking not a storage bag like zip lock is. I use the 2qt size bag with my Snow Peak 900 pan set and it works great. A bag in the pan and cooking has worked also they are just like a Turkey bag you would use for your bird on Happy Day. The temp rating is up to 400deg this is the web site http://www.pansaver.com/ tell me what you think.
Campsalot
11-17-2008, 09:30
I have found a web site that sells real pan liners for cooking not a storage bag like zip lock is. I use the 2qt size bag with my Snow Peak 900 pan set and it works great. A bag in the pan and cooking has worked also they are just like a Turkey bag you would use for your bird on Happy Day. The temp rating is up to 400deg this is the web site http://www.pansaver.com/ tell me what you think.
Well, that's cool! I might have to try that out.
I've also found boil-in bags at Packit Gourmet (http://www.packitgourmet.com/BoilIn-Bags-p324.html) that are safe for use with boiling water. I've been using these lately. They're about the size of a Mountain House type bag.
CampGirl
11-17-2008, 14:59
I have found a web site that sells real pan liners for cooking not a storage bag like zip lock is. I use the 2qt size bag with my Snow Peak 900 pan set and it works great. A bag in the pan and cooking has worked also they are just like a Turkey bag you would use for your bird on Happy Day. The temp rating is up to 400deg this is the web site http://www.pansaver.com/ tell me what you think.
I thought that these sounded really cool so I called the company to make sure that they could be used with a pan over a flame, rather than baking. Turns out that it’s not recommended :( They said that the pot/pan can often get hotter than 400 degrees when cooking over a burner and then the plastic will begin to break down. Bummer.
GeneralLee10
11-17-2008, 21:51
I thought that these sounded really cool so I called the company to make sure that they could be used with a pan over a flame, rather than baking. Turns out that it’s not recommended :( They said that the pot/pan can often get hotter than 400 degrees when cooking over a burner and then the plastic will begin to break down. Bummer.
Yes that mite be very true but I have done it and it was fine but was not a windy night. Still must be a bit safer than a zip lock bag plus they are lighter than a zip lock. If it does break down the plastic then don't cook on an open flame simple as that.
Freezer bag cooking depends on the fact that water will not get over 212 degrees. Far below the melting point of the bag. If you take the water away then there is no way to consistantly limit the temperature.
Microwaving food in any plastic is a bad idea the oil/grease in the food will collect at the edges and can easily get heated by the microwaves in excess of 400 degrees.
To cook things like a Steak, ground beef, sausage, .... then aluminum foil packs laid on hot coals or tucked into a cavity of the fire work very well. ??but doesn't aluminum cause alzheimers??
take-a-knee
11-17-2008, 23:58
Freezer bag cooking depends on the fact that water will not get over 212 degrees. Far below the melting point of the bag. If you take the water away then there is no way to consistantly limit the temperature.
Microwaving food in any plastic is a bad idea the oil/grease in the food will collect at the edges and can easily get heated by the microwaves in excess of 400 degrees.
To cook things like a Steak, ground beef, sausage, .... then aluminum foil packs laid on hot coals or tucked into a cavity of the fire work very well. ??but doesn't aluminum cause alzheimers??
No, aluminum doesn't cause Alzheimers, that correlation was disproven a decade ago. Italians have used aluminum expresso machines for decades and they have a lower rate of Alzhiemers than we do.
take-a-knee
11-17-2008, 23:59
You have that right, but we have to be careful or we'll sound like Minisota.
I never have to worry about sounding overly like Minnesota Smith 'cause I might have half of his brain power, at best.
GanGoHigh
11-22-2008, 17:25
Adding boiling water to a plastic bag is a disaster waiting to happen. Man has not had long enough to experiment with petrochemicals.
FBC = full blown cancer
lonehiker
11-22-2008, 18:11
Adding boiling water to a plastic bag is a disaster waiting to happen. Man has not had long enough to experiment with petrochemicals.
FBC = full blown cancer
What data do you have to substantiate this claim? I've been using FBC methods for years (20+)....... When can I expect to get this full blown cancer?