Glad® Press'n Seal® Plastic Food Wrap - 100 Square Foot Roll

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FANTASTIC Product! I’ve meant to write a review for this product for a LONG time. I have a story that has deemed me a life-long user of Press ‘n Seal. That will likely change, though slowly. In 2000, the EPA established the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program. But due to prolonged debate among scientists, agency officials, and industry about the best ways to set up the tests, the program has yet to evaluate a single chemical. And when the agency finally — last year — proposed a draft list of 73 chemicals for the first round of testing, neither BPA nor phthalates were on it. Pesticide chemicals, with a more established history of causing health problems, will be first. In contrast, the European Commission has already begun screening chemicals for possible endocrine effects, and has identified 320 that will be subject to additional, rigorous testing. Lawmakers have jumped into action, too. California, Washington State, and Vermont, for example, have limited the allowable amount of phthalates in children's products, and Congress added a partial phthalate ban to its new consumer-protection law, passed in August. But while legislators have been scurrying to pass protective laws, the federal agencies entrusted with overseeing our health have been slow to respond — and maddeningly vague when they do. Write the type of cake and use-by date on a large piece of aluminum foil. I write on the aluminum foil before wrapping the cake just in case the ink seeps through. It has before!

Regarding storage, both Glad Press and Seal and Cling Wrap offer compact and space-saving solutions. Both wraps are typically sold in rolls that can be easily stored in kitchen drawers or cabinets. However, Glad Press and Seal has an advantage in terms of its ability to conform to various shapes and sizes. Its flexible nature allows it to be tightly wrapped around the items, minimizing the need for additional storage space. Cling Wrap, although it can also conform to certain shapes, may not be as versatile in terms of its storage capabilities. For efficient use of space, Glad Press and Seal is the more convenient option. Organization For a real-life test, we microwaved Old World Style Ragú Traditional Smooth Pasta Sauce and Heinz Home Style Gravy Savory Beef in the two Rubbermaid containers and in a glass bowl covered with Press'n Seal. As you're unlikely to heat up tomato sauce or gravy in a plastic bag, we eliminated the Glad Storage Zipper Bags from this part of the testing. The lab first evaluated the foods straight from the jars to ensure that there were no phthalates or BPA present in the sauces before they were transferred to the test containers. In addition to testing foods heated in brand-new containers, we used ones that we had put through 30 rounds of microwaving and cleaning in the dishwasher, to see if wear and tear made a difference. In one study of adult men, those with higher-than-average phthalate levels tended to have a larger waist circumference and increased insulin resistance, precursors to diabetes. In a study of mice, the ones fed BPA were more likely to give birth to offspring who became obese. Neurobehavioral abnormalities

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The NTP advice to consumers was hard to decode. "There was nothing in our report that should cause alarm...but at the same time, people should make their own decision about which precautions they want to take," says Michael Shelby, Ph.D., director of the NTP's Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction. "The science is just not definitive." Why these? In pretesting, low levels of BPA had turned up in the two containers — Rubbermaid Easy Find Lids and Rubbermaid Premier. One plastic wrap, Glad Press 'n Seal, had tested positive for low levels of both phthalates and BPA. (A fourth item, Glad Storage Gallon Zipper Bags, was found to contain low levels of BPA, but was eliminated from food testing since it's unlikely that anyone would use the bags for heating liquid foods like pasta sauce or gravy.)

When comparing Glad Press and Seal with Cling Wrap, price considerations come into play. The price of Glad Press and Seal may vary depending on the quantity and size of the rolls, but it generally tends to be slightly more expensive than Cling Wrap. The added features and benefits of Glad Press and Seal, such as its durability, adhesion properties, and versatility, contribute to its higher price point. Cling Wrap, being a more commonly available product, is generally more affordable. However, it is important to weigh the cost against the desired features and functionalities to determine the best value for money. Value for Money I'd be happy to stop doing all this, but until the government starts testing household plastics in ways that will tell us what's safe and what's not, I will go on being a little obsessed. There are many ways moms try to protect their families. My list just got a little longer. Risky Numbers But what scientists like Hunt and Swan and others have come to realize is that chemicals like BPA and phthalates don't play by the rules. Many of their and other studies of endocrine disruptors have found serious health effects at levels as low as 2 micrograms per one kilogram of body weight — that's 25 times lower than the EPA's safe level ."We've been using an oversimplified mode of measurement," says Scott Belcher, Ph.D., associate professor of pharmacology and cell biophysics at the University of Cincinnati. Be extra cautious with infants: If you use commercial formula, buy it in powdered form, which comes in a foil-lined cardboard container and shouldn't have any BPA, says the FDA. Despite BPA's pervasiveness in nearly all of us, the actual amount found in our blood and urine is very small — perhaps equivalent to mere drops of water in a swimming pool. That's not enough to harm us, according to the FDA, which first reviewed BPA in the 1980s, and in August issued a draft report stating that exposure to the small amounts of BPA that migrate from containers into the food they hold is not dangerous.

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Place the cake(s) in a freezer-safe container. Or if you don’t have a big enough container, wrap in another layer of aluminum foil. (Make sure the foil with the date on it is what’s on the outside.) When it comes to keeping your food fresh and leftovers protected, it’s important to have the right tools for the job. Two popular options in the world of plastic wrap are Glad Press And Seal and Cling Wrap. Both have their merits, but which one reigns supreme? In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the pros and cons of each, helping you make the best choice for all your food storage needs. So, get ready to say goodbye to soggy sandwiches and hello to airtight solutions that will keep your food fresher for longer. Many hadn't heard of bisphenol A before it grabbed the headlines earlier this year, but the chemical has been in our lives for decades. Not only is it used to make hard-plastic food containers and baby bottles, but it's also found in eyeglass lenses, compact discs, electronics, and a slew of other common, everyday items. Used in the plastic-like coating that lines food and beverage cans, BPA helps buffer the contents from cans' corrosive metals and extends the products' shelf lives. And when these containers and cans and bottles and CD cases end up in landfills, BPA can leach into rivers and streams, possibly reentering our homes — and bodies — through tap water. The chemical has also been found in household dust, where it settles as plastic products break down and scatter microscopic particles. We all touch it and breathe it in; crawling babies, who put everything in their mouths, may absorb even more. If the chemicals are getting into food, we need to understand what that means for our health. And if they're not, we'd like to stop hyperventilating. The GHRI tests turned up good news. But a review of additional recent research yielded other unsettling questions, particularly about hormonally related ills. Both the tests and the research point to the smartest ways to keep our families safe. Where Chemicals Lurk

There's an additional worry: what other chemicals in plastics might be doing. "We just don't know, because the government isn't doing the proper testing to find out," says Dr. Jacob. It's no surprise that BPA affects hormones — the molecule was tested in the 1930s as an artificial estrogen. But it was passed over for a stronger synthetic estrogen — the notorious diethylstilbestrol (DES) — which, starting in the 1940s, was given to pregnant women to prevent miscarriage. Many women used DES until the early 1970s, when researchers discovered it was causing an unusual cancer of the reproductive tract in young women who'd been exposed to the hormone in the womb. (Ironically, it turned out that DES didn't prevent the miscarriages for which it had been prescribed in the first place.) Today, as DES children — and now DES grandchildren — have grown up, doctors have cataloged a long list of reproductive and other abnormalities linked to the drug. In the meantime, the National Toxicology Program has stepped in, conducting its own revised review of BPA. Its draft report, released last April, was stronger than its earlier version, adding " some concern" for BPA exposure in fetuses, infants, and children, based on effects in the prostate and mammary glands, and on an earlier age for puberty in females. However, the final report, released in September, downgraded the concern for the mammary glands and earlier puberty from "some" to "minimal."When ready to thaw: Transfer the wrapped cakes from the freezer to the refrigerator one day before decorating/serving. Take them out of the freezer container to thaw, but leave them wrapped in Press & Seal/aluminum foil. The cakes take at least 8 hours to thaw completely in the refrigerator. Make sure you’re thawing the cakes while they’re still in the wrapping. Condensation forms as foods thaw. This way the condensation will form on the wrapping, not the cake. While this is terrific news, there's more you should understand. For one thing, we know we have these chemicals in our bodies, and they're getting there somehow. Indeed, nearly every American has BPA coursing through his or her veins, according to data gathered in 2003-04 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — and children have the highest levels of all. The FDA estimates that adult Americans consume, on average, a cumulative 11 micrograms of BPA per day through diet — mostly from the liners in canned foods, say several scientific groups. Is that level a lot? Is it safe? No one really knows yet, but "we're concerned about how much exposure there is to this chemical and possible health repercussions," says Anila Jacob, M.D., a physician and senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit watchdog scientific organization. You can freeze just about any cake after they’ve cooled completely. Mega flavorful cakes such as banana cake, chocolate cake, carrot cake, and pumpkin cake freeze and thaw beautifully when wrapped in a couple layers, as detailed above. I find their flavor is even better after the freezing/thawing process! Bundt cakes and pound cake freeze wonderfully as well, just make sure they’re completely cooled and wrapped tightly before freezing. For cheesecake instructions, see “How to Freeze Cheesecake” in my cheesecake recipe.

Since the late 1990s, after Hunt found that mice in BPA-contaminated cages developed egg abnormalities, she and dozens of other researchers have linked the chemical to reproductive problems in rodents, including lower sperm counts and abnormal eggs. Phthalates, too, may cause reproductive problems. In 2006, when Harvard researchers studied 463 men seeking treatment at a fertility clinic, the scientists reported that men with higher levels of certain phthalates in their urine had lower sperm counts and sperm motility, as well as damage to sperm DNA, all of which affect the ability to impregnate a partner.In one of the most important human studies so far, Swan measured phthalates in 85 pregnant women in three U.S. cities — Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Columbia, MO. In that 2005 study, women with the highest phthalate levels were most likely to give birth to sons with smaller penises, smaller testes, and "reduced ano-genital distance" (the space between the testes and the anus). In other words, these baby boys were somewhat de-masculinized, which could signal impaired semen quality and decreased fertility later on. "The results were dramatic," Swan says. "We were surprised by how strong the link was. And, based on animal studies, we're concerned about possibly serious health consequences for these boys as they get older." Early puberty Both Glad Press and Seal and Cling Wrap offer various purposes for consumers. Glad Press and Seal is ideal for not only wrapping food items but also for covering bowls, dishes, and even non-food items such as cosmetics or craft supplies. Its versatility makes it a multi-functional tool in the kitchen and beyond. Cling Wrap, although primarily used for food preservation, can also be utilized for gift wrapping, organizing small items, and temporary repairs. However, Glad Press and Seal’s wider range of purposes gives it an edge in terms of versatility. Compatibility Keeping wraps organized in the kitchen can help streamline meal preparation and storage processes. Both Glad Press and Seal and Cling Wrap offer solutions that can be easily organized. However, Glad Press and Seal can be particularly advantageous in terms of organization due to its versatility. Its ability to seal and cover various sizes and types of containers, as well as non-food items, allows for a more efficient and organized storage system. Cling Wrap, while it can also be stored neatly, may not provide the same level of versatility and organization as Glad Press and Seal. Thus, Glad Press and Seal can contribute to a more organized kitchen space.

Another crucial factor to examine is the durability of the two types of wraps. Glad Press and Seal is known for its strength and resiliency. Its robust construction enables it to withstand minor impacts without tearing or puncturing easily. Cling Wrap, on the other hand, may not be as durable and can tear more easily when stretched or subjected to pressure. The added durability of Glad Press and Seal makes it a preferable choice for wrapping and sealing items that require extra protection. Adhesion Thawing cakes is easy. Transfer the wrapped cakes from the freezer to the refrigerator one day before decorating/serving. I usually take them out of the freezer container to thaw. The cakes take at least 8 hours to thaw completely in the refrigerator. Sometimes I forget and just let the cake(s) thaw at room temperature, but it’s better they thaw at a slower rate in the refrigerator. With BPA and phthalates, there's nothing like the smoking-lung cancer connection, but there are lots of smoking guns. The research is still in its early days, and much of what we know comes from work with animals. Also, not all phthalates have been linked to health problems. But many prominent scientists believe these chemicals may cause a range of problems related to our hormones: Lower sperm counts and other reproductive abnormalities We shipped several samples of each item off to an independent lab, where they were shredded into bits, then analyzed to see if any detectable amounts of BPA and phthalates were present in the products. The good news: Twenty-seven of the products tested contained no phthalates or BPA. Three, however, did contain low levels of BPA: the containers (or bottom sections) of Rubbermaid Easy Find Lids, Rubbermaid Premier containers, and Glad Storage Zipper Bags; Glad Press'n Seal wrap had low levels of both phthalates and BPA. Next, the lab tested these four items with "food simulants" — chemicals designed to stand in for real food in a lab. (Our federal health agencies, like the FDA, allow the use of food simulants in testing.) Results: No detectable BPA or phthalates migrated from the products into the simulants.