My Dad put a plastic mat under the meatloaf while it baked in the oven. Is the meatloaf still safe to eat? (Worried about fumes)

The plastic mat the meatloaf rested on completely melted, and I’m worried the oven may have trapped potentially toxic toxic fumes which then permeated the food. On the other hand, the meatloaf took a long time to make and I don’t want to throw it out if I don’t have to. Thanks in advance for your help!

Alexandra
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6 Comments

ChefJune
ChefJune February 20, 2015
Alexandra, I hope you tossed that meat loaf. And I am SO sorry to have to say that. But there's no such thing as safe plastic to eat. Even not melted, it would have leached the chemicals in it into your food. Since the pan was Pyrex, you can probably save it with a good scrub and a sanitizing wash in the dishwasher. But that's optional. Depends upon how tightly the melted plastic is melded to the pan.
 
connieo
connieo February 19, 2015
I agree with Pegeen. Throw it out, and have your dad take you out to dinner.
 
bigpan
bigpan February 19, 2015
I agree with Pegeen ... and confine your dad to washing and drying only !
 
Pegeen
Pegeen February 19, 2015
Hi Alexandra... don't you hate it when kitchen snafus happen?! Yes, by "components" I meant fumes/vapor/molecules, which are probably toxic, have infiltrated the food. Can't blame your Dad for trying to be tidy... I just use partchment paper or foil on top of a baking sheet for easy clean-up. As far as the pyrex dish goes, I'd use it again but first sterilize it in the dishwasher or soak it in a sinkful of boiling water with dish soap. Sorry the meatloaf had to go but better luck next time! :-)
 

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Pegeen
Pegeen February 18, 2015
If the plastic mat melted, it was not designed for baking (like a Silpat mat designed to go in the oven) and the plastic components have leached into the meatloaf. ABSOLUTELY DO NOT EAT. Throw out the meatloaf. Sorry, but you also need to throw out Ithe pan the plastic melted on (seriously, you have to throw it out, and don't leave it in a place where someone else might pick it up, thinking "Oh, great! I needed another baking sheet!" You also need to do a full cleaning of your oven.
 
Alexandra
Alexandra February 18, 2015
Thanks so much for your response, Pageen. Just to clarify, when you say the ‘’plastic components have leached into the meatloaf,” do you mean as the plastic melted, the plastic fumes/vapor has leeched into the food? (just a little unsure regarding what you meant by ‘components’). Also, I wanted to make sure I explained properly: my dad thought the plastic mat was a Silpat, and because he worried about the meatloaf dripping over into the oven, he put the mat UNDER the dish. The plastic melted to the point that when he took the loaf out of the oven, none of the plastic stuck to it. Thanks again for your posting! Any other opinions regarding whether I can re-use the glass (pyrex) loaf pan again as long as it gets a good washing?
 
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