Is the Styrofoam used for food today modified?

[kenny1999]

I have been avoiding food contained in Styrofoam for many years because I always don't feel good about it. My impression about Styrofoam used in old times was that when they were compressed or deformed with a slight force by hand it would break partially into granules which was undoubtedly a safety concern when mixed with food. Today I happened to break a used Styrofoam container and when it broke, I didn't see any granules with naked eye, and when I tried to rub the crack with fingers I cannot find any granules too.

Is today's Styrofoam modified in its composition such that no more granule will come out when it breaks or cracks? Or is it that they just exist, but have become so small that we cannot see it? How bad if those granules are eaten in small amount? Do they just come out of our body unchanged so that we are likely to be fine?

 

[DaveC426913]

What kind of styrofoam is this? Can you post a pic?

 

[russ_watters]

You should expect that anything you eat from may be ingested in small quantities. The point of "food grade" materials is that they are non toxic.

 

[Vanadium 50]

I knew who posted this just from the title.

You have dozens of threads of the form, "Is this safe?" "What about this?" "Or this?" "Or this?" "Or this?" I recommend you seek counseling. That is more likely to get to the root of the matter than asking near-identical questions over and over and over on the internet.

 

[DaveC426913]

I knew who posted this just from the title.

Hah. i wondered about that.

 

[Keonte45]

Yes, the styrofoam used today is modified.

 

[DrClaude]

Yes, the styrofoam used today is modified.

Details?

 

[DaveC426913]

Details?

 

[hutchphd]

For no particular reason I will point out there is a large difference between extruded polystyrene and expanded polystyrene.