It is a significant claim, but leading expert Tamara Rubin has warned shoppers against buying peanut butter in plastic jars stating it is 'among the most toxic foods out there'.

Tamara Rubin is a leading US child health advocate who is well known for her work in testing a range of consumer goods for poisons such as lead and arsenic. She is highly regarded for her lead-poisoning research and has generated some world-changing headlines with her investigations into the extremely concerning levels of lead and arsenic that are found in some lines of vintage kitchenware and even in children's toys.

Peanut butter in plastic jars is among the most toxic foods out there. Image source: Shutterstock. ​

Rubin is now leading the charge in alerting consumers around the world to the potential dangers of purchasing peanut butter that is stored in plastic jars, stating that 'it's like eating plastic' and '[is] one of the most toxic foods you can purchase'. She went on to warn consumers by saying that even 'organic peanut butter should not be bought in plastic containers'.

According to Rubin, her colleague Lee Hitchcox originally wrote about the potential dangers in his book, Long Life Now: Strategies for Staying Alive. According to both experts, the concern is actually 'the way that peanut butter is processed before it is placed in plastic jars.'

'Most of the peanut butter on the grocery store shelves (even in many ‘natural foods’ stores) already contain pesticide and/or fungicide residues, tons of sugar and a host of other additives,' she claimed.

'Peanut butter must also be heated to flow through the machinery for it to be quickly, easily and consistently poured into jars (plastic jars are also often then heat-sealed – the sealing of the combination foil-type/plastic barrier that is usually found under the lid for food safety reasons.)'

'The concern is that the now hot oils/fats in the peanut butter help the plasticisers (in the plastic jars and lids) leach into the food, and along with all the other chemical residues and additives, make for an incredibly toxic product.'

It turns out that the plasticisers can bond to the oil in peanut butter as a result of the entire packaging process. This essentially means that when we eat peanut butter we are eating plastic, which is exactly why it is one of the most toxic foods you can eat. Who wants to spread plastic onto their morning toast? Certainly not me.

Plastic on toast anyone? Image source: Shutterstock.​

As a result, Rubin along with other experts are saying we should only buy peanut butter in glass jars. Although the glass jars of peanut butter are a bit more expensive, it does seem they are a lot better for our health, and in addition to that, we know they are much better for the environment too. Sounds worthwhile to us.

This information really makes you think how far food packaging has come since everything was in glass - from our milk to our peanut butter. It's genuinely concerning how much our food packaging has changed and how little we know about how this impacts our health. I buy peanut butter in a plastic jar all the time, and I had no idea about the potential effects this could have on my health.

Did you know about the effects of plastic packaging on food? Are you all for bringing back the old days of glass packaging, or bringing your pots and pans for restaurants to pop your takeaway in? Do you think we have strayed too far from our old habits, and need to bring them back?

 

[paulamc52]

It is a significant claim, but leading expert Tamara Rubin has warned shoppers against buying peanut butter in plastic jars stating it is 'among the most toxic foods out there'.

Tamara Rubin is a leading US child health advocate who is well known for her work in testing a range of consumer goods for poisons such as lead and arsenic. She is highly regarded for her lead-poisoning research and has generated some world-changing headlines with her investigations into the extremely concerning levels of lead and arsenic that are found in some lines of vintage kitchenware and even in children's toys.

View attachment 5422
Peanut butter in plastic jars is among the most toxic foods out there. Image source: Shutterstock. ​

Rubin is now leading the charge in alerting consumers around the world to the potential dangers of purchasing peanut butter that is stored in plastic jars, stating that 'it's like eating plastic' and '[is] one of the most toxic foods you can purchase'. She went on to warn consumers by saying that even 'organic peanut butter should not be bought in plastic containers'.

According to Rubin, her colleague Lee Hitchcox originally wrote about the potential dangers in his book, Long Life Now: Strategies for Staying Alive. According to both experts, the concern is actually 'the way that peanut butter is processed before it is placed in plastic jars.'

'Most of the peanut butter on the grocery store shelves (even in many ‘natural foods’ stores) already contain pesticide and/or fungicide residues, tons of sugar and a host of other additives,' she claimed.

'Peanut butter must also be heated to flow through the machinery for it to be quickly, easily and consistently poured into jars (plastic jars are also often then heat-sealed – the sealing of the combination foil-type/plastic barrier that is usually found under the lid for food safety reasons.)'

'The concern is that the now hot oils/fats in the peanut butter help the plasticisers (in the plastic jars and lids) leach into the food, and along with all the other chemical residues and additives, make for an incredibly toxic product.'

It turns out that the plasticisers can bond to the oil in peanut butter as a result of the entire packaging process. This essentially means that when we eat peanut butter we are eating plastic, which is exactly why it is one of the most toxic foods you can eat. Who wants to spread plastic onto their morning toast? Certainly not me.

View attachment 5423
Plastic on toast anyone? Image source: Shutterstock.​

As a result, Rubin along with other experts are saying we should only buy peanut butter in glass jars. Although the glass jars of peanut butter are a bit more expensive, it does seem they are a lot better for our health, and in addition to that, we know they are much better for the environment too. Sounds worthwhile to us.

This information really makes you think how far food packaging has come since everything was in glass - from our milk to our peanut butter. It's genuinely concerning how much our food packaging has changed and how little we know about how this impacts our health. I buy peanut butter in a plastic jar all the time, and I had no idea about the potential effects this could have on my health.

Did you know about the effects of plastic packaging on food? Are you all for bringing back the old days of glass packaging, or bringing your pots and pans for restaurants to pop your takeaway in? Do you think we have strayed too far from our old habits, and need to bring them back?

 

[paulamc52]

I think so,nothing's the same any more. Remember milk in glass bottles in the 60.

 

[Maddison Dwyer]

I couldn't agree more @paulamc52

 

[BMKal]

This article is written by an "environmental activist" with ZERO relevant training and / or formal qualifications. She makes a lot of very vague claims - backed by absolutely NO EVIDENCE. Describing her as an "Expert" is a very long stretch of the imagination.

Believe her rubbish if you choose - I wouldn't waste my time on her "opinion".

 

[Reaper123]

Expert?

 

[Macarj]

I think so,nothing's the same any more. Remember milk in glass bottles in the 60.

I still buy my milk in glass bottles at our markets in Launceston Tasmania Elgars it is more expensive but it is great milk

 

[Suzanne rose]

I think so,nothing's the same any more. Remember milk in glass bottles in the 60.

And the milkman delivered it

 

[Suzanne rose]

I still buy my milk in glass bottles at our markets in Launceston Tasmania Elgars it is more expensive but it is great milk

No glass bottles available here in Sydney

 

[Suzanne rose]

I would go back to glass milk bottles but please not that foil lid.

We all know the plastic bottles are bad especially if the bottles are left in the sun Even for a short time.
I love peanut butter but got turned off it years ago as alot of the nuts were contaminated which they had said was through rat droppings. I think that was early 1990s.

 

[Mindygirl12022]

Well over the years I've had Peanut Paste in both glass and plastic jars. No harm done yet.

 

[Ricci]

Question - they say it's a cost saving thing to use plastic jars for peanut butter but then why are jams and marmalade still in glass jars, do the cost savings not apply to them?

 

[BMKal]

Question - they say it's a cost saving thing to use plastic jars for peanut butter but then why are jams and marmalade still in glass jars, do the cost savings not apply to them?

The plastic jars and lids are great for out in my shed. I put a screw or two through the lid from the bottom and mount them underneath shelves / benches. Then screw the jars onto the lids - great storage for nuts & bolts, screws, nails and all those other things that end up mixed up together somewhere and that you can never find when you want one. In the plastic jars, I don't even need to label them - I can see what is inside them. This works with glass jars as well - but they break when you drop them and the screws / nails etc end up all over the floor. I'm speaking from much experience here.

 

[Suzanne rose]

Question - they say it's a cost saving thing to use plastic jars for peanut butter but then why are jams and marmalade still in glass jars, do the cost savings not apply to them?

 

[Singomate]

Once again we are being told what to eat how to eat, when to eat how to cook, did no one listen to Mum and Dad, Grand father and Nan, I learned so much from them Both passed in late nineties , so I think life lessons are irreplaceable . What say you????

 

[Defiant540]

Once again we are being told what to eat how to eat, when to eat how to cook, did no one listen to Mum and Dad, Grand father and Nan, I learned so much from them Both passed in late nineties , so I think life lessons are irreplaceable . What say you????

I agree

 

[Greyroamer]

And the milkman delivered it

You must've been posh - we used to put the billy out and the milko would fill it.

 

[Suzanne rose]

This article is written by an "environmental activist" with ZERO relevant training and / or formal qualifications. She makes a lot of very vague claims - backed by absolutely NO EVIDENCE. Describing her as an "Expert" is a very long stretch of the imagination.

Believe her rubbish if you choose - I wouldn't waste my time on her "opinion".

You must've been posh - we used to put the billy out and the milko would

I grew up in a nice housing commission suburb in the 60s where every night we put out our milk basket and then collect it in the morning. Then the baker would come around mid morning.

You must live in the country or older than my 61 years as my grandfather told me how the milkman used to fill their billy's

 

[paulamc52]

Once again we are being told what to eat how to eat, when to eat how to cook, did no one listen to Mum and Dad, Grand father and Nan, I learned so much from them Both passed in late nineties , so I think life lessons are irreplaceable . What say you????

Ditto.

 

[paulamc52]

Ditto.