How do you pack the lunch break? Aluminium foil or bread paper are not unreservedly recommended. Another perennial favourite is loosely hanging over them.
According to the consumer advice centre Bremen (vzb), aluminium foil as packaging for sandwiches is not the best choice. It is often used only once and a lot of energy is required to make it. According to consumer advocates, when it comes into contact with salty and acidic foods, it can release aluminium particles into the packaged food, which are then ingested when consumed. Since too much aluminium in the body can be harmful to health, it is better to do without it.
Bread paper is uncritical for consumption, but not necessarily from a sustainability point of view. This is a classic single-use product and belongs in the residual waste after use, according to consumer advocates. When recycling waste paper, it would only be a nuisance because of the fat and certain ingredients it has absorbed.
Beeswax cloths are only hygienic to a limited extent
Beeswax cloths, on the other hand, are particularly suitable for fruit and vegetables. Fatty foods such as sandwiches or cakes should not be wrapped in them: wax components could come off and later be consumed with the food.
Because the coating of the beeswax cloth can come off at high temperatures, the cloths should only be rinsed under lukewarm water. According to the vzb, it is not really hygienic. For this reason, the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment also advises against bringing raw animal foods such as chicken breast or beef steak into contact with the cloths. If you use them again, germs that may otherwise still stick to other foods could be transferred.
Bread box as the best option
If consumer advocates have their way, food is not packed in aluminium foil, bread paper or beeswax, but rather invested in a bread box made of stainless steel, glass or plastic polypropylene. It should bear the so-called glass and fork symbol. This means: The box is designed for contact with food and does not emit any harmful substances to the wrapped food. However, the symbol does not necessarily mean that a box is dishwasher-safe. If information is missing, it should be washed out by hand.