Be careful: Your pizza box may contain harmful chemicals

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The pizza box may contain harmful chemical, diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP)
The pizza box may contain harmful chemical, diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP)

New Delhi : Think about Pizza and you can’t stop yourself from having a bite despite of health warnings. A new study reveals that the box in which the pizza comes may be harmful in quality. Experts say to remove the pizza from the box as soon as it is delivered in your hand. It’s tough to believe that the delicious, crunchy and cheesy pizza is packed in a box which is toxic in nature. Here’s the reason behind this information.

In case, the box is made up of harmful recycled material, there are chances that it may be fixed with glues, dyes and even toxic inks that can get transferred to the pizza, especially during heating.

The pizza box may contain a chemical called diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP), which as per the Food Standards Agency "may have a harmful effect on human reproductive development because they have been reported to be endocrine disrupters."

As per the Food Drug Administration, pizza boxes contain three substances that can get in contact with the food and are responsible for the coating in the boxes that stop greasiness and moisture. All three contain perfluoroalkyl ethyl, a type of perfluoroalkyl substance that is known to linger in the body for years and increase the risk of cancer and other health problems.

Pizza houses promise hot pizzas but it comes at a cost. "Inside the boxes, temperatures can reach to 60-65 degree Celcius and the pizzas remain hot for several minutes, increasing the chance of toxic substances migrating from packaging to the food," says Monica Bononi, a lead researcher on the subject.