I recently placed a takeout order from Savannah Pizza Company in Brunswick, GA, consisting of a Buffalo Chicken Stromboli and a dozen Chicken Wings. The Stromboli was flavorful with a good balance of buffalo sauce and chicken, though it was overly moist and could have benefited from a longer bake time to crisp it up. Similarly, the wings had a nice flavor profile, but they weren't cooked long enough, resulting in fatty, under-rendered skin that detracted from the overall experience. While the food itself showed promise and highlighted the restaurant's emphasis on fresh ingredients, these minor execution issues left room for improvement.
However, my enthusiasm quickly turned to serious concern upon picking up the order. The hot food was packaged in Styrofoam containers, which are notorious for leaching harmful chemicals like styrene into food, especially when exposed to heat, oils, or acids--common in items like saucy Stromboli and wings.
Styrene is classified as a possible human carcinogen and has been linked to neurological damage, vision and hearing loss, impaired memory and concentration, and other adverse health effects.
Of all available carry-out containers, Styrofoam stands out as the most harmful to human health due to its propensity to release these toxins directly into the food it holds, far outpacing alternatives in terms of risk. It's baffling that a place like Savannah Pizza Company, which touts the use of fresh, quality ingredients, would undermine that commitment by serving hot food in such toxic packaging--it almost seems counterproductive, as if they're inadvertently compromising customer well-being despite their best culinary intentions.
I nearly cancelled my order on the spot after seeing the food nestled in these hazardous containers, as the health risks simply aren't worth it. For the sake of their patrons, I strongly urge the management to switch to safer, non-toxic alternatives like compostable bagasse (sugarcane fiber) containers, bamboo-based options, molded fiber trays, or even simple paperboard boxes, all of which avoid chemical leaching and are readily available in the market. These options maintain food integrity without poisoning customers.
Until Savannah Pizza Company eliminates Styrofoam from their inventory entirely, I regrettably won't be returning--health comes first, and no pizza, no matter how fresh the toppings, is worth the gamble. read more