Is there any research currently being conducted by the local health authorities on the health risks involved in the use of plastic food containers ("Plastic not so fantastic?"; June 22)?

With many people here using plastic containers to store cooked food, we must have a better understanding of food health, with regard to plastics.

Similarly, it is important to study if the use of benzene and styrene, found in foam containers, can affect our health.

It is not unusual to see such foam containers bent out of shape, or partially melted owing to the high heat of the food.

Perhaps, the health authorities could look into studying how safe these chemicals are for human consumption and in what quantities.

I would also like to know what level of checks are made on claims that a plastic container is free from the chemical Bisphenol A, known as BPA. These days, many plastic containers sold are labelled "BPA-free".

How valid are these claims?

When it comes to such chemicals in our food, we may not feel the effects overnight. But we do not know how they will affect us over the next 10 years or more.

We should also be more mindful of how they may affect our younger generation.

Yah Jun Yang