Bruce, I think what you have heard is the industrial tubs. I have never heard food safe. But, then again I could be wrong. I work in the food service industry and KFC has raw chicken in, like a hard plastic tub. It's not rubber and every kitchen I have been in the big rubbermaid type tubs are used for all kinds of things. I have never noticed if they where any different from the thick industrial type you can get from Home Depot or Lowes. That's just my 2 cents. John