Is Silicone Food Storage Safe? Yes! Here’s Why.

Minimal is an industry leader in sustainable food storage with human and environmental health in mind. There is only one option for any health-focused company when creating safe, flexible food storage — food grade silicone.

Food grade silicone must meet rigorous health and environmental standards set by the world’s leading food industry regulators. Your home and your kitchen should be filled with natural, healthy elements. not toxin-filled plastics. 

We believe strongly that you should replace all the plastic in your kitchen with food grade silicone containers. But why should you make the switch?

Let’s talk about what food grade silicone is, why it’s safer than plastic, and how to choose the right silicone food storage products for you.

What is Food Grade Silicone?

Silicone is a compound made up of silicon and oxygen, two of Earth’s most naturally abundant elements.In order to be approved by the FDA and other world-leading food quality agencies, food grade silicone must meet rigorous testing to ensure it’s safe for food-based use.

Why do leading scientists and engineers prefer silicone for food storage use? It has 6 natural properties that are superior to any plastic food storage container. 

6 Natural Properties Give Silicone the Food Storage Edge

Why do food storage designers and cookware engineers use silicone? Six natural properties help set it apart from plastic and other competing materials.

1. Resistance to extreme heat and cold. Silicone retains its shape and structure between -60°C (-80 °F) and 230°C (450 °F). Your silicone food storage container will not warp, bend or shrink in a microwave or freezer.
2. Minimal risk of leaks or contamination. Silicon is resistant to food oils, liquids and most chemicals. 
3. Longer lifespan. Silicone rubber degrades far slower than other organic compounds. You get a healthier product than plastic, and it lasts longer. 
4. Flexible sealing. Silicone manages to be at once durable and flexible. Even with long-term wear, a silicone product’s seal remains airtight.
5. Natural anti-fungal and non-toxic nature. You don’t have to worry about fungus or mold in your silicone food container. And unlike plastic, there are no harmful fillers like BPA, lead or latex.
6. No lingering odors or coloration. The food you store in silicone containers won’t alter or affect their quality. You won’t open a container and notice discoloration or smell past contents.

Beyond its natural advantages, silicone is safer than plastic for several other reasons.

3 Reasons Why Silicone is Safer Than a Plastic Container

1. Single Use Plastic Contains Harmful Chemicals

Single use plastic utilizes many harmful chemicals in its construction and preservation. One little plastic bag can introduce heavy metals, phthalates, flame retardants and fluorinated compounds into the environment — and your home. Why does this matter?

• Toxic heavy metals found in plastic include arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury.
• Phthalates have been linked to asthma, reproductive disorders, insulin resistance and ADHD.
• Flame retardants have been linked to cancer, decreased fertility and hormone disruption.
• Fluorinated compounds are directly linked to kidney and testicular cancer, low birth weight, and decreased immune response in children.

Often, these chemicals leach out of your plastic containers when exposed to heat — something that happens all too often in the kitchen.

2. Silicone is Far More Dishwasher and Microwave Safe

Beyond silicone’s immeasurable safety benefits, it’s far more practical than plastic when it comes to household appliances. Silicone’s excellent heat resistance makes it more dishwasher and microwave safe than plastic.

How much plastic is wasted when lids and edges warp in your dishwasher? How often does your microwave bend and create holes in plastic containers? These issues raise obvious health and safety concerns — but they’re also downright annoying.

If harmful chemicals and home appliance safety aren’t enough to sway you to silicone, don’t forget how harmful plastic waste is for the world around you.

3. Plastic Waste is Killing the Environment

91% of plastic isn’t recycled. That’s a staggering and unacceptable figure. If we’re going to save the planet, we can’t just resolve to recycle more plastic. We have to eliminate its use altogether.

Plastic takes hundreds of years to break down. Sadly, it doesn’t break down and disappear like organic compounds. Plastic and plastic polymer materials just become smaller and smaller particles called microplastic.

Microplastic particles are now found in every ecosystem on Earth. Worse, they’re found inside most humans. This is a result of plastic leaching into our food and water supplies. Sometimes, this happens at home. Often, it’s because plastic waste has made its way into our oceans, streams and crop supplies.

Single use plastic and plastic wrap are unassuming planet killers in our kitchens. It’s up to us to find safer, more eco-friendly replacements that are more effective at meeting our food storage needs. 

Silicone food storage products are a great start. They don’t contain harsh chemicals. Silicon is a naturally occurring element. If treated properly, its lifespan in your household spans years (or decades!) — unlike single use plastic.

Now that you know why silicone is safer than plastic for food storage, let’s talk about how to choose the best silicone product for your home.

How to Choose a Silicone Food Storage Container

You’ve decided to safely eliminate every plastic storage bag and container from your home. That’s a healthy and responsible choice — congratulations!

Now, how do you choose what silicone product is right for you and your family?

We have a wide variety of silicone container options guaranteed to serve your needs. Let’s take a look at two consumer favorites, our silicone bento box and food storage containers.

The Minimal Silicone Bento Box for Lunch

Minimal silicone bento boxes are the healthiest bento alternative for living without plastic. Made of 100% premium natural, non-toxic food grade silicone, its clear, lightweight and unbreakable body makes it safe for everyone in the family.

Choose from 5 size and color combinations — 700ml and 900ml in gray, blue and clear. 

Minimal Silicone Collapsible Container Options for Food Storage

Need more room (and more options) than bento boxes provide? Minimal has nearly 20 different food grade silicone containers, all created to meet the highest safety and sustainability standards. 

Available in multiple colors and ranging in size from 460 to 1200 ml, you can transform your food storage from plastic waste to pure silicone heaven. Minimal has sauce containers (180 ml) too!

Food Grade Silicone: Safe For the Planet, Safe For Your Family.

Is silicone food storage safe? Absolutely.

Food grade silicone is safe for the planet and safe for your family. It’s time to make the switch to a silicone safe kitchen!

Minimal silicone products contain no petroleum, no PVC and no latex, so it’s good for us and our planet. It’s time to replace plastic with non-toxic silicone food storage containers in your home. Click here to see some great options!