Moldy chopsticks can cause food poisoning.
In Vietnamese culinary culture, chopsticks are an indispensable utensil for every meal. However, choosing the wrong type of chopsticks or using them incorrectly can be harmful to health. When buying chopsticks, health and food safety should be a top priority.
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh - former lecturer at the Institute of Biotechnology and Food, Hanoi University of Science and Technology - said that bamboo chopsticks have been used for the longest time. Currently, there are many types of bamboo chopsticks, including those made from young bamboo, which are for single use and are not good for health.
To keep chopsticks white and free from mold during production, they are often soaked in chemicals and then dried. Therefore, even single-use chopsticks still pose a health risk.
Therefore, according to Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh, if using bamboo chopsticks, families should choose those made from mature bamboo. After purchasing, they should boil them in water for at least 30 minutes to kill bacteria and remove any preservatives. Wooden chopsticks are commonly used, but these are painted or dyed on the outside to look cleaner and more attractive. However, these painted chopsticks are not as safe for health as unpainted wooden chopsticks.
However, experts also point out that the most noticeable weakness of these two types of chopsticks is their susceptibility to mold and bacteria. Because these two types of chopsticks absorb water very well, this creates a favorable environment for bacteria to thrive, causing mold and harming health.
"In fact, many types of mold are visible to the naked eye, but many others are invisible, making them potentially poisonous if ingested. Most people wash chopsticks, but neglect the tips. This is where leftover food accumulates, and if left in a damp, poorly ventilated environment, mold can grow, posing a health risk," Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh noted.
Replace chopsticks every 6 months.
Addressing this issue, Associate Professor Dr. Tran Dang - former Director of the Food Safety Department, Ministry of Health - warned that using moldy chopsticks to eat rice means people are ingesting a carcinogen into their bodies.
Corn, peanuts, almonds, oilseeds, dried fruits, rice, beans, and spices that are moldy can be contaminated with aflatoxin, a toxin that causes liver cancer. Moldy corn and rice can also be contaminated with fumonisin, a toxin from mold that can cause liver and esophageal cancer. Furthermore, using kitchen utensils like wooden chopsticks that are contaminated with mold poses a significant risk of liver cancer.
According to health experts, each type of chopstick has its own advantages and disadvantages. For safe use, the most important thing is to ensure proper hygiene.
Experts advise against using plastic chopsticks. For other types of chopsticks, special attention should be paid to hygiene, and they should be replaced regularly. Stainless steel chopsticks should be replaced when the plating at the tips shows signs of peeling or deformation. Bamboo and wooden chopsticks deteriorate quickly when exposed to water, so they should not be used for too long.
It is best for people to replace chopsticks every 6 months or immediately if they show signs of damage. Additionally, when washing, people should pay attention to thoroughly cleaning the tips of the chopsticks, using specialized cleaning solution to remove dirt more effectively. After eating, people should wash chopsticks immediately, preferably with hot water. Absolutely do not soak dirty chopsticks in water for too long, as this will cause them to deteriorate quickly because water will seep deep inside.
Families with the means can use a chopstick dryer after washing, because even after washing, a damp environment allows bacteria to easily grow. If a dryer isn't available, families should dry chopsticks in the sun or use a hairdryer to dry them thoroughly before storing them carefully; check the chopstick basket because the bottom often contains a lot of dirt and is a breeding ground for harmful bacteria.
While both stainless steel and plastic chopsticks offer the advantage of easy cleaning and less mold growth during storage, they also have drawbacks that negatively impact health. Plastic chopsticks can easily deteriorate and even deform at high temperatures when used with hot food. Microplastics can then adhere to the food and be directly ingested. Stainless steel chopsticks may look clean on the outside, but during use, contact with heat and acidic foods can release heavy metals that can harm the liver and kidneys. Furthermore, a weakness of this type of chopstick is that it easily dissipates heat, potentially causing burns when eating hot food like hot pot. Additionally, these chopsticks are often difficult to use because they are slippery, even with textured tips.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh - former lecturer at the Institute of Biotechnology and Food, Hanoi University of Science and Technology
Source: https://kinhtedothi.vn/cach-chon-va-su-dung-dua-an-toan.html
Comment (0)