What gets hot enough to melt plastic in the microwave?



K

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Guest
I was trying to make some popcorn balls. Two of the ingredients were
sugar and honey. One of these two heats to greater than the melting
point of plastic.


I have nuked food many times without burning a hole in the bowl. Not
so this time.
 
In article <[email protected]>,
Hahabogus <[email protected]> wrote:

> Katra <[email protected]> wrote in news:KatraMungBean-
> [email protected]:
>
> > In article <[email protected]>,
> > "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > > I was trying to make some popcorn balls. Two of the ingredients were
> > > sugar and honey. One of these two heats to greater than the melting
> > > point of plastic.
> > >
> > >
> > > I have nuked food many times without burning a hole in the bowl. Not
> > > so this time.
> > >
> >
> > I have found that three things will melt plastic in the microwave:
> >
> > Tomatoes
> > Sugar
> > Most oils/fats (butter etc.)
> >
> > The oils are not as much of a problem as Tomato or Sugar,
> >
> > I've learned to use glass for both of those two!
> >
>
> wild rice cooked till the water leaves does a number on the plastic too.

oops! <lol>
I've always cooked rice in the corningware, covered, so never
experienced that. ;-)

--
K.

Sprout the Mung Bean to reply...

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<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I was trying to make some popcorn balls. Two of the ingredients were
> sugar and honey. One of these two heats to greater than the melting
> point of plastic.
>

What plastic? Plastics can have melting points from 180 to over 300
degrees.
Sugar and honey will go over 300 degrees. IIRC, sugar caramelizes at 338.
That would easily melt a low grade plastic.
 
"Edwin Pawlowski" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>I was trying to make some popcorn balls. Two of the ingredients were
>> sugar and honey. One of these two heats to greater than the melting
>> point of plastic.
>>
>
> What plastic? Plastics can have melting points from 180 to over 300
> degrees.
> Sugar and honey will go over 300 degrees. IIRC, sugar caramelizes at 338.
> That would easily melt a low grade plastic.

Even the Tupperware Crystalwave line which is marketed for 'reheating in
microwave' will pit when there is a high sugar (or fat) content in the food
being reheated unless you either reheat on low power or stir frequently to
prevent hot spots.

Gabby
 
On 19 Feb 2005 17:35:54 -0800, "[email protected]"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I was trying to make some popcorn balls. Two of the ingredients were
>sugar and honey. One of these two heats to greater than the melting
>point of plastic.
>
>
>I have nuked food many times without burning a hole in the bowl. Not
>so this time.

Another important factor is whether it is liquid or solid. A liquid is
much less likely to cause melting because the convection currents tend
to move the hotter material around. Solids, because they cannot move,
are far more likely to create local hot spots and burn, scortch, or
melt.

--
Hitachi HB-A101 bread machine, 1 pound
Email: Usenet-20031220 at spamex.com
(01/10/05)
 
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I was trying to make some popcorn balls. Two of the ingredients were
> sugar and honey. One of these two heats to greater than the melting
> point of plastic.
>
>
> I have nuked food many times without burning a hole in the bowl. Not
> so this time.
>

anything
1) that will reach the roughly 400 degrees at which plastic melts and
2) has enough conductivity to deliver enough mass of heat to the bowl and
3) is big enough to hold the heat above bowl melting before the bowl plastic
can dissipate it

- water goes no higher than 212 F or so: e.g., soups, veggies, etc don't
get hot enough to melt plastic

- oil goes over 400, so it can melt plastic: e.g., some meats are oily, and
their fat will melt plastic.

- a small spot of oil does not have enough mass to get enough heat in it
fast enough that the bowl can't get spread that heat out quick enough not to
melt at the spot. A larger amount of oil can get enough heat from the oven
so that the bowl can't handle it, and melts the plastic
 
[email protected] wrote:
> I was trying to make some popcorn balls. Two of the ingredients were
> sugar and honey. One of these two heats to greater than the melting
> point of plastic.
>
At the point of being a smarta**, I always use Pyrex bowls or microwave safe
ceramic-type bowls in the microwave. The only time I use plastic is if I'm
reheating soup (like at the office where I have to transport it with a
tight-fitting lid). At home I tend to use the (non-plastic) bowl from which
I plan to eat.

Jill
 
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