Original title: Choose disposable chopsticks to see the shelf life of water taste pungency or because of sulfur

Recently, actor Huang Bo posted a photo on Sina Weibo to ridicule poor quality disposable chopsticks. In the photo, several pairs of chopsticks are placed in hot water, the water turns yellow and has a pungent smell, and he said that using disposable chopsticks is "not environmental protection, but to save your life". So why can disposable chopsticks be stained with yellow hot water? Is it harmful to the human body?

Water taste pungent or because of sulfur

Recently, the reporter visited a number of restaurants in Beijing found that although some catering enterprises provide reusable disinfection chopsticks, but disposable chopsticks in small and medium-sized restaurants are still used in large numbers.

In order to verify the "disposable chopsticks dyed yellow hot water" news, March 20, the reporter collected several common disposable chopsticks from food stalls, small restaurants, mid-range hotels, respectively, without packaging "naked chopsticks", plastic packaging, paper packaging disposable chopsticks. The reporter soaked chopsticks in boiling water found that after soaking disposable chopsticks with packaging for 15 minutes, the color slightly discolored, but not very yellow, and without packaging disposable chopsticks soaked, the water slightly turned pale yellow, the smell is strong.

Dong Jinshi secretary general of the International Food Packaging Association explained that the raw materials used by regular manufacturers to produce disposable chopsticks are of better quality wood or bamboo, chopsticks themselves contain lignin, will dissolve part of the water, the water slightly yellowish is normal, will not be harmful to the human body, and said pungent taste is likely to be the taste of sulfur. Such disposable chopsticks do not rule out being smoked by sulfur, the residual amount is relatively large.

It is understood that according to the state regulations, disposable chopsticks made of bamboo are allowed to use food-grade sulfur fumigation bleaching, but the sulfur dioxide content remaining on the chopsticks is not more than 600 mg per kilogram, and wooden chopsticks are not allowed to use sulfur fumigation.

Pay attention to the shelf life of chopsticks

According to relevant regulations, disposable chopsticks need to be marked on the packaging date of production, shelf life and other basic information. The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine issued the "implementation rules for food packaging container tools, etc." It is clearly stipulated that the packaging bag of chopsticks should be clearly marked "sterilized disposable tableware maximum quality of 4 months, more than the shelf life can not be sold or used."

However, the reporter's investigation understands that there are still many disposable chopsticks on the market, "three no" products, there are many safety risks.

Dong Jinshi told reporters that disposable chopsticks set shelf life, because the production of chopsticks wood or bamboo contains a certain amount of water, a long time is easy to mold. In the summer and autumn rainy season or the more humid environment in the south, disposable chopsticks are more prone to mold, moldy chopsticks contain a variety of mold, serious will breed carcinogens - "aflatoxin".

In addition to mold, disposable chopsticks also have many health risk factors. Dong Jinshi introduced that law enforcement departments have repeatedly found that some enterprises in order to make chopsticks whiter, will use sulfur fumigation and industrial hydrogen peroxide bleaching methods to "whiten" chopsticks, and then use paraffin polishing to make chopsticks feel smoother. In this way, it is easy to exist a variety of chemical residues, which will cause harm to the human mouth, esophagus and stomach.

Dong Jinshi also reminded that the choice of disposable chopsticks, first look at the chopsticks packaging on whether there is the manufacturer's name, trademark and contact information, it is best to have a production date and shelf life; Then use the nose to smell there is no pungent smell; Don't choose something too white; Put chopsticks in boiling water rinse, if the water becomes muddy and sediment indicates that chopsticks may contain other chemicals; If the chopsticks are bent or have mold spots, it indicates that they have deteriorated, do not use.

Qian Yuyang, Beijing Times reporter

Plastic Industry Video