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A foam take-out container is a disposable container for take-out food used by restaurants in many countries. The containers are most commonly used to serve takeout food, and are also available by request in some restaurants for diners who wish to take the remainder of their meal home.
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Construction
Foam take-out containers are made from XPS foam, or another type of polystyrene foam, and produced by injecting the foam into a mold. They are usually white in color, although they may be printed or impressed with a company logo or other message.
Varieties
Foam takeout containers come in different varieties:
- A rectangular shaped clamshell style container with an attached lid, which comes in various sizes. The larger ones usually feature several compartments, allowing different foods to be kept separated from each other. This variety usually features several small projections on the lid of the container, which fit through slots on the bottom to "lock" it, therefore preventing food spillage.
Chinese cuisine
This is the most commonly used takeout box for Chinese cuisines in East and Southeast Asia. It is standard for Cantonese cuisine in Hong Kong and many parts of China. It is sometimes used overseas in various restaurants, particularly in the United States and Canada.
Issues
Environmental issues
As foam take-out containers are entirely made out of polystyrene foam, these containers have an impact on the environment as they do not biodegrade. Some cities have gone as far as banning the use of foam take-out containers, notably San Francisco.[1]
Health issues
It is debated if styrene may migrate into the food itself when stored in these containers for even a small amount of time. Some researchers argue that polystyrene containers do pose a health risk according to their research[2], while others argue that trace amounts of styrene are naturally present in food.[3][4].
See also
References
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