Can you put a cardboard pizza box in the oven?
by Karine Lemoine
The pizza is still in its box, a bit lukewarm, and the idea of putting it back in the oven directly in the box to save time seems practical. But is the cardboard in a pizza box really made to go in the oven?
Cardboard is a combustible material, and the temperature of a home oven, even moderate, may be enough to create a real risk under certain conditions.
Table of Contents
Here's why cardboard is a risk in the oven, at what temperature this risk increases, and how to reheat pizza without putting the box into play.
Cardboard, a combustible material
Dry cardboard starts to ignite around230°C approximately, a temperature that many domestic ovens easily reach in grill mode or for certain types of cooking. The risk increases even more if cardboard is soaked in fat from cheese or dough, because the fatty substances in cardboard can ignite at a lower temperature than dry cardboard alone, in addition to facilitating the spread of fire.
Smoke, odors and printing residues
Even below the ignition threshold, heated cardboard can emit smoke and a burnt smell that permeates the pizza itself. Pizza boxes generally carryinks and surface treatmentsnot intended to be heated directly in contact with food, which is not desirable even in the absence of any risk of fire.
Best practice for reheating pizza
The most reliable method is to take the pizza out of the box and place it directly on a wire rack, tray or ovenproof dish, possibly covered with aluminum foil or placed on baking paper. This approach also allows better heat to circulate around the pizza, which generally results in a crispier crust than reheating in its original carton.
Our tips
►Always remove pizza from the box before reheating
This is the easiest way to eliminate any risk associated with cardboard, regardless of the temperature used.
►Use a wire rack or griddle for a crispier crust
The circulation of air under the pizza prevents the “softened” effect that simple cardboard often gives.
►Store the carton in the microwave with caution, never in the oven or in the grill
Even at low power and from time to time, cardboard should never be placed in an oven heated by resistances or in grill mode.
The cardboard in a pizza box is not made for the oven: it presents a real risk of ignition and smoke, which a simple transfer to a plate makes it easy to avoid.
You can also read:If glass goes in the ovenandWhether you can put a plate in a toaster oven.
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