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A foam takeout container is a disposable container used internationally by restaurants. Such containers are most commonly used to serve takeout food and fast food, and are also commonly available by request for restaurant diners who wish to take the remainder of their meal home. Foam takeout containers are typically discarded after the food has been consumed and are rarely recycled.
Construction
Foam takeout containers are made from XPS foam, or another type of polystyrene foam, and produced by injecting the foam into a mold. They are lightweight and flexible, although not as durable as plastic containers in that they may crack if excess pressure is applied. Although they are waterproof, they are typically not used to store soup. They are usually white in color, although they may be printed (usually with one color) with a company logo or other message. They may also be embossed. They are stored by stacking the containers, one inside the other.
Varieties
Foam takeout containers come in two main varieties:
- Clamshell-shaped container with attached, hinged lid; comes in small and large sizes; the large size usually features several compartments, allowing different foods to be kept separate. They may be either square or rectangular. Clamshell-shaped foam containers usually feature one, two, or more small projections on the outer edge of the bottom part of the container, which fit through holes on the outer edge of the upper part of the container, "locking" the container and keeping it from popping open while being transported.
- Round cup with detachable plastic or foam lid, used for storing soup and other similar foods
Chinese cuisine
In the English language rice is simply referred to as "rice." In the Chinese language rice is referred to as fan (飯) when cooked versus mi (米) when uncooked. The name of the box is essentially "cooked rice box." The box is known widely in many parts of Asia as (Traditional Chinese: 飯盒, jyutping: faan6 hap6*2, pinyin: fànhé).
The foam takeout container is the most commonly used takeout box for Chinese cuisines in East and Southeast Asia. It is standard for Cantonese cuisine in Hong Kong and many parts of China. It is sometimes used in overseas Chinatowns such as those in the United States and Canada.
Health issues
It has been determined that when foods or liquids are stored in foam containers, even for short periods of time, small amounts of styrene may migrate into the food itself. Foods or beverages containing fat draw more styrene into the food, as do hot foods.