Introduction:
Plastic containers are essential food storing utensils found in every household, and used by every student and worker. Simply placing them in the microwave to heat food not only makes life easier, but also allows for a more efficient time management. Plastic is a synthetic material made of many organic compounds. It is used to form various objects including containers for food storing of light weight due to its resistance to breaking. In their finished states, these plastic objects contain many plasticizers, fillers, stabilizers, and other chemicals. However, these are a major risk factor for the diffusion of chemical particles from the plastic casing, such as phthalate, Bisphenol A, styrene, melamine, polycarbonate and many other, into the food upon heating which may lead to certain serious diseases that may affect the endocrine system, the reproductive system, the gastrointestinal systems and may lead to different cancer types. The inappropriate usage of these containers among college students is due to their ignorance or unawareness about the different risky effects of these chemicals that may endanger their life. College students, with their daily stressing and full schedule, find the usage of these containers the most feasible and suitable with their life pace. Many studies have been made to determine the various effects of heating plastic containers on humans, other studies showed how the knowledge of certain populations about plastic container’s adequate usage may change their heating practices. Stopping the usage of plastic containers is nearly impossible. Plastic of better quality and components, and a healthy substituent for these containers is a must, or an appropriate technique of usage must be followed. However, few studies have been done to study the exposure to certain chemicals present in the plastic containers from other sources and their harmful effects on the body, and safer substituents with similar properties to plastic have not been yet found.
Knowledge: Information and understanding of Lebanese college students on plastic container usage in microwaves.
Attitude: Lebanese college students’ thoughts and opinions regarding plastic container usage in microwave.
Practices: The actual way of usage of these containers among this population.
Literature review:
Various studies have been done during the last two decades on the dangerous health outcomes following plastic containers heating in microwaves. These studies showed that different chemicals such as phthalate, bisphenol A, melamine and styrene migrate from food containers during the heating process and especially after long term usage of the containers, where the amounts of some chemicals leaking into the heated food increases, “The analysis performed demonstrated that there is a greater migration of phthalates in containers with a prolonged time of use. After prolonged use containers possess small deformations and are less resistant to heat, which may allow phthalates to be more easily released.” (Moreira et al., 2014). Other studies addressed the assessment of knowledge of plastic containers’ users in certain populations on their safe usage and to assess the results of the intervention on their practices “The long lasting ill effects could be brought down through an awareness and modification of the life style at the early age of their life.” (Priya et. al., 2016). The results following KAP studies and other cohort studies showed that the chemicals play a major role in endocrine related diseases and cancers, and that awareness may play an important role in altering people’s practices and change them into appropriate safe usage techniques especially that most consumers are alert of the different risk factors of warming plastic containers but lack knowledge on the diverse plastic types, and their proper usage in microwaves “consumers are aware of adverse side effects from plastic containers, but they require more knowledge about plastic use for food and drink such as types of plastic containers and their specification, symbols for consumers, microwave use, etc” (Kasemsup, Neesanan, 2011). However, these interventions were mainly performed on young school students to assure an early acquired behavior that promise a safe usage of these plastic containers, whereas other knowledge assessment studies were made on certain small populations and in most studies, researchers disregarded other exposure sources to these chemicals.
Gap: Despite the studies conducted over the years and the tremendous findings about the potential harm caused by plastic containers while heating with food; especially chemicals leaking from these containers, still people including Lebanese college students lack the awareness and the absolute knowledge that consuming these utensils will put their lives at risk.
Rationale: For the absence of any data about the usage, knowledge and awareness of Lebanese population in general and particularly Lebanese college students , in addition to microwaving plastic containers as an efficient mean to heat food, and the potential leakage of harmful substances such as “Phthalates” and other chemicals which was proved to be temperature dependent (Moreira et al. 2013 ) we chose to tackle the issue through a “KAP” study. In addition, some misconceptions might be shared among the population in question such as the limited heating period (on average 2-3 min would not have adverse effects) and that plastic containers are transparent to microwave radiations and would not reach critical high temperatures to leak or melt (Nerin et al. 2002) hence the need for the KAP study proceeded to raise awareness and clarify misconceptions .
Significance: Since heating food through microwaving plastic containers is a rapid way to accommodate the tight schedule of Lebanese college students combined with a general lack of knowledge of the hazards of using microwaving plastic containers because of the leakage of chemical substances such as : Phthalates, endocrine disruptor compounds EDC , which are common plasticizers used in household plastic containers could potentially leak into foods at increased rate on the long run and with increased heating time(Moreira et al. 2013) , inspired us to tackle this issue which might cause many health problems for the population in question on the long run e.g. : one form of Phthalates : Dibutylphthalate ( DBP) has been associated with toxic effects to neural , developmental and reproductive systems (Moreira et al. 2013).
Research Question: What are the Lebanese college students’ knowledge, attitude and practices related to heating their food through microwaving plastic containers?
The Hypothesis: Heating food through microwaving plastic containers are affected by Lebanese college students’ knowledge, attitude and practices.
The purpose statement: To assess the knowledge and attitude of Lebanese college students regarding heating food through microwaving plastic containers as well as their practice.
Specific objectives:
1- To assess knowledge, attitudes and practices relating to microwaving plastic containers for food heating among Lebanese college students.
2- To compare the practice of heating food through microwaving plastic containers among the Lebanese college students based on their knowledge.
3- To compare the difference in levels of knowledge and attitudes among the population in question regarding heating food through microwaving plastic containers.
4- To assess the knowledge of Lebanese college students of the side effects of microwaving plastic containers.
5- To educate the Lebanese college students about the different types of plastic containers they use and their composition.
General Goals:
1- To raise awareness about the hazards of microwaving plastic containers among the Lebanese college students particularly and the Lebanese population in general.
2- To decrease/stop microwaving plastic containers as a mean to heat food among the Lebanese population in general.
Reference List:
Kasemsup, R., & Neesanan, N. (2011). Knowledge, attitudes and practices relating to plastic containers for food and drinks. J. Med. Assoc. Thail, 94,S121-S125. Retrieved from :
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rachada_Kasemsup/publication/51761548_Knowledge_attitudes_and_practices_relating_to_plastic_containers_for_food_and_drinks/links/55404b270cf2736761c2757e.pdf
Moreira, M. A., André, L.,C., & Cardeal, Z. L. (2014). Analysis of phthalate migration to food simulants in plastic containers during microwave operations. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 11(1), 507-26. Retrieved from:
http://ezsecureaccess.balamand.edu.lb/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1503139773?accountid=8475
Nerín, C., Acosta, D., & Rubio, C. (2002). Potential migration release of volatile compounds from plastic containers destined for food use in microwave ovens. Food Additives & Contaminants, 19(6), 594-601. doi:10.1080/02652030210123887. Retrieved from:
http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezsecureaccess.balamand.edu.lb/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=27f238f6-057e-4f6f-9cb0-db47dffa0a31%40sessionmgr102&vid=1&hid=128
Priya, A., Toppo, M., Singh, D., Singh, N., & Sethia, S. (2016). A study to assess the impact of education intervention on the knowledge regarding hazards of plastic food containers in school children. International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health, 2275-2280. doi:10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20162583. Retrieved from :
http://www.ijcmph.com/index.php/ijcmph/article/download/451/417