China National Radio Beijing December 17th (Reporter Liu Yulei Shandong Station Reporter Jiang Wenchao) According to China Voice "News Panorama" report, it is now mid-December, and the weather in various parts of China is gradually getting colder. Yesterday, even the "Spring City" Kunming had snow. In such a cold day, everyone wants to drink something hot outside to resist some of the cold. Like coffee, milk tea, these hot drinks in winter are not only hot, but also better to be a little hot, so that they feel warmer and more delicious.

However, there is a rumor on the Internet recently that scared people who love to drink hot drinks. If the hot drink cup lid is written with "No. 6", it will be toxic when it is hot! What does this "No. 6" hot drink cup lid refer to? What cup lids are used on the outer packaging of hot drinks in the market? Is the "No. 6" hot drink cup lid really toxic when it is hot?

Recently, a netizen posted a Weibo saying: "No. 6" hot drink cup lid is toxic when it is hot! This microblog said that when buying hot drinks in the future, you must check the model of the take-out cup lid, whether it is "No. 5" or "No. 6". The safe temperature of "No. 5" is 130¡æ, and the No. 6 is 70¡æ. If the hot drink exceeds 70¡æ, toxic substances may be dissolved. Now the market generally uses "No. 6" lids. The reporter randomly interviewed many citizens in some large shopping malls and supermarkets in Zibo, Shandong, and almost all of them answered: I don't know, I haven't noticed it.

Reporter: Have you ever smelled something or felt that the quality was very low? Have you ever encountered this situation?

Citizen: Sometimes when I go to drink milk tea, I should say that there is a smell in the cup. Usually, some small shops have more cup lids. The milk tea in general shopping malls should be okay.

Later, at a KFC restaurant, the reporter ordered a cup of hot drink and asked the waiter what cup lid to use. The other party said that they were all uniformly configured and he didn't know.

It seems that this "small cup lid" is indeed particular and has a background. So, what is the material of this "No. 6" hot drink cup lid? Professor Dong Jinshi, an expert in food safety and environmental chemistry, executive vice president and secretary general of the International Food Packaging Association, gave an explanation.

Dong Jinshi: First of all, the concept of No. 6 is that this material is called polystyrene. Polystyrene has a number in plastics, and it is No. 6, which means that there are about 140 types of plastics in total. Different plastics have different numbers, just like we have our own names, which makes it easier to recycle plastics after they are discarded. In other words, different types of plastics cannot be processed when mixed together, but the same types can be mixed together for processing, so that they can be recycled naturally. As far as No. 6 is concerned, polystyrene can be used for food packaging. As long as the production license QS is required, there is no problem with using it for food packaging. However, when using hot drinks, due to the different heat temperatures, when the plastic is hot, some small molecules such as styrene monomers and the color of the masterbatch inside will dissolve out. Therefore, the state stipulates that different plastics have different scopes of use. The recommended temperature for the use of polystyrene is below 90 degrees. If the temperature is too high, harmful components in the plastic will easily precipitate out, which will cause harm to our health.

It turns out that each plastic container has an "identity card", which is usually at the bottom of the plastic container. There are numbers 1-7 in the triangle, and each number represents a plastic container. The recycling logo for plastic products is formulated by relevant agencies in the American plastics industry. In other words, when we drink beverages in our daily lives, no matter the size of the cup lid, as long as it is made of polystyrene, it is called "No. 6". No. 6 material is also usually used for bowl instant noodle boxes, foam fast food boxes, disposable beverage cups, etc. So, is the "No. 6" hot drink cup lid really toxic when exposed to heat? What effect will it have on our health? Professor Dong Jinshi replied:

Dong Jinshi: In fact, it is difficult for our liver and kidney to decompose this monomer. Over time, it will cause a decline in our immune function and even lead to symptoms such as leukemia. Workers in the workshop, especially men, will suffer from a decline in sperm quality and quantity, and some children born will even have deformities.

90 degrees is the critical point of this substance. Once the human body inhales toxic substances, it will be very harmful. Should we not drink hot drinks in disposable cups in the future? Dong Jinshi emphasized that the probability of illness is positively correlated with the frequency, time span and inhaled content. It is only the influence of the cup cover, which is not that serious.

Dong Jinshi: Then the first one is related to the amount, that is, how much dose, the second one is related to your time, that is, how long you ingest it, and the third one is related to individual differences, just like smoking is harmful to health. Some people have smoked for a lifetime and nothing happened, while some people who don¡¯t smoke still get lung cancer. So this is individual difference, so there is no need to panic. As for No. 6, if the cup lid is produced by a regular national manufacturer, even if it is filled with hot drinks, don't panic. However, it is recommended that consumers do not cover the lid for a long time when drinking hot drinks, as chemicals will easily evaporate or dissolve when hot. You can open the lid, because you can't do anything when it's hot. Let it cool down before drinking, or drink with the lid on. This is safer and reduces harm. Third, when choosing a cup lid, if you are allowed to choose, we try to choose white or lighter colors, and try not to choose bright or dark colors.

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