[pct-l] trail cooking

[greg mushial]

> Message: 5
> Date: Wed, 27 Oct 2010 13:29:29 -0700
> From: Kevin Cook <hikelite at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] trail cooking
> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Message-ID:
> <AANLkTimr51rstop3TpbPe9jZqPAE_GLFbQ4ajqBDp5p1 at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> What is the problem with just eating out of the bag? I've really taken a
> liking to using those bags to "cook" my one pot meals. I put the dry
> ingredients into the bag, poor in boiling water, and then let it "cook" 
> for
> awhile. When it's ready, I just eat out of the bag. You just need a long
<snip>

Firstly: I do not wish to rain on anyone's parade...  but I'm wondering if 
one really wants to be doing this. Personally I came to the conclusion that, 
at least for myself, no I do not. The question has to do with leaching of 
human-unfriendly chemicals from the plastics. The problem is that said 
leaching is proportionate to temperature. While all pastics leach at room 
temperatures, and those rates I'm willing to live with; but at boiling water 
temps the leaching rates grow 1000s-fold. Anyone that's thinking about going 
this route, might I suggest a google of "plastic leaching boiling water" and 
read. You can skip the "everything in life is dangerous" hits, but the SciAm 
and/or medical journal articles, one might read. Personally I've decided 
that a 2.4oz titanium pot is a better course [which also cleans better - 
plastics are notorious difficult to really clean short of autoclaving]. 
YMMV. Also of note: Canada has banned all PBA use in food or eating 
containers - which eliminates one chemical, but there is still a list of 
another 20 or so that one might live better without.
HYOH - TheDuck