As a seventh grade student, Claire Nelson learned that
di(ethylhexyl)adepate (DEHA), considered a carcinogen, is found in
plastic wrap. She also learned that the FDA had never studied the
effect of microwave cooking on plastic-wrapped food. Claire began
to wonder: "Can cancer-causing particles seep into food covered with
household plastic wrap while it is being microwaved?"

Three years later, with encouragement from her high school science
teacher, Claire set out to test what the FDA had not. Although she
had an idea for studying the effect of microwave radiation on
plastic-wrapped food, she did not have the equipment.

Eventually, Jon Wilkes at the National Center for Toxicological
Research in Jefferson, Arkansas, agreed to help her. The research center,
which is affiliated with the FDA, let her use its facilities to perform her
experiments, which involved microwaving plastic wrap in virgin olive
oil. Claire tested four different plastic wraps and "found not just the
carcinogens but also xenoestrogen was migrating [into the
oil]...." Xenoestrogens are linked to low sperm counts in men and to
breast cancerin women.

Throughout her junior and senior years, Claire made a couple of trips
each week to the research center, which was 25 miles from her home, to
work on her experiment. An article in Options reported that "her analysis
found that DEHA was migrating into the oil at between 200 parts and 500
parts per million. The FDA standard is 0.05 parts per billion." Her
summarized results have been published in science journals. Claire Nelson
received theA merican Chemical Society's top science prize for students
during her junior year and fourth place at the International Science and
Engineering Fair (Fort Worth, Texas) as a senior.

"Carcinogens-At 10,000,000 Times FDA Limits" Options May 2000.
Published by People Against Cancer, 515-972-4444 On Channel 2
(Huntsville,AL)
this morning they had a Dr. Edward Fujimoto from Castle Hospital on the
program. He is the manager of the Wellness Program at the hospital.
was talking about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we
should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic
containers. This applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the
combination of fat, high heat and plastics releases dioxins into
the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Dioxins are carcinogens
and highly toxic to the cells of our bodies. Instead, he recommends using
glass, Corning Ware, or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the
same results without the dioxins. So such things as TV
dinners,instant saimin and soups, etc., should be removed from the
container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you
don't know what is in the paper.

Just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He said we might
remember when some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the
foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.
Saran wrap placed over foods as they are nuked, with
the high heat, actually drips poisonous toxins into the food. Use paper
towel instead.