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Are Polystyrene Plastics FDA Approved?

Clear polystyrene lid and hinged plastic boxes are an economical choice for a wide range of food packaging applications. 

It’s in our to-go boxes, packaging supplies, CD cases, yogurt containers, and even in our running shoes. Polystyrene is one of the most commonly used plastics in our everyday life. But does this frequently used polystyrene plastic comply with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations? Is it deemed safe to be used in food packaging by the FDA?

Polystyrene is a form of plastic that is strong, lightweight, insulates better, keeps food fresh longer, and is inexpensive. This unique combination of attributes makes polystyrene an optimal material for a wide variety of food packaging applications. Furthermore, polystyrene plastic meets stringent FDA standards for use in packaging used to store and serve food. The FDA recognizes that disposable polystyrene foodservice packaging is safe and hygienic for everyday use, particularly in public settings such as hospitals, cafeterias, schools, shopping malls, and restaurants, where it is critical to prevent the spread of disease and provide clean and sanitary foodservice.

Concerns have been raised recently over the potential adverse health and environmental effects of styrene, the substance used to make polystyrene, that also occurs naturally in foods such as strawberries, peanuts, cinnamon, coffee beans, and beef. A comprehensive review of the risks associated with the migration of styrene from food packaging and foodservice products was conducted by the FDA; it concludes that the amount of migrated substances does not present a health concern and is expected to be below the safety limits.

Alpha Rho manufactures a wide assortment of stock and custom clear polystyrene lid and hinged plastic boxes for food handling, packaging and storage applications. To request free samples of our clear polystyrene plastic boxes, please visit – REQUEST SAMPLES