Polystyrene is made from petroleum and the scientific community has deemed it generally safe for food usage. However, not surprisingly, researchers found that polystyrene containers used for food packaging leaked their styrene oligomers into the food!
For instance, one Japanese study conducted on wild-type and AhR-null mice found that the styrene trimer, which the authors detected in cooked polystyrene container-packed instant foods, may alter thyroid hormone levels as well as harm our reproductive system.
Polystyrene contains the toxic substances Styrene and Benzene, suspected carcinogens and neurotoxins that are hazardous to humans. Hot foods, alcohol, oils, acidity and liquids in general start a partial breakdown of the styrofoam which we ingest and are harmful to our system.
