The safety of flour gluten enhancers is controversial and is said to be carcinogenic
Beijing Times reporter Qian Yuyang
Recently, the news that CoFCO, Guyue and other brands of flour contain a reinforcing agent "azoformamide" has caused social concern, the news said that this additive has been banned in the European Union, and has a certain carcinogenicity. This is not the first time azoformamide into the consumer field of view, before its presence in the well-known fast food brand Subway hamburger, is one of the raw materials of the sole, has been questioned "face contains sole". What exactly is azoformamide? Is it harmful to the human body?
The safety of the reinforcement agent is controversial
"azoformamide is A yellow to orange-red crystalline powder, also known as A blowing agent, with double bleaching and oxidation, is a quick-acting flour reinforcement agent, also suitable for plastic foaming." Dong Jinshi, a food safety expert, told reporters.
Azoformamide can increase the degree of flour gluten, improve the amount of dough gas retention, increase the elasticity and toughness of baking products, improve the operability and adjustment of dough, so it has become the new darling of the flour additive industry.
The hardening agent in the eddy of COFCO said that azoformamide as a flour treatment agent, allowed to be used as a food additive in China, the company's subordinate flour processing enterprises in the "fragrant snow" bread powder products to use the food additive, the amount of addition are allowed in the national standard, the addition process is strictly controlled, no excess addition.
According to GB2760 "Standards for the use of food additives", azoformamide as a legal food additive, is widely used in food production of flour raw materials, the main role is used for flour reinforcement. The international Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) has assessed the safety of azoformamide: the added amount does not exceed 45 mg per kilogram in the range, the safety risk can be ignored.
However, the safety of azoformamide is also widely debated in the industry. The European Union has determined that azoformamide is suspected of causing cancer, mainly due to the hydrolysis of azoformamide to produce possible carcinogenic semicarbazone. Therefore, not only banned in food, but from August 2, 2005, the European Union also banned its use as a blowing agent in food packaging materials. In addition, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, South Africa also explicitly banned its use in food.
Former senior engineer Xie Huamin of the Standard Quality Center of the State Administration of Grain expressed concerns about azoformamide. Article 45 of the Food Safety Law clearly stipulates that "food additives should be technically necessary and proven safe and reliable through risk assessment before they can be included in the scope of permitted use." And azoformamide is not really necessary to add the product, nor does it meet the safety and reliability of the elements, because of its potential carcinogenic risk.
Xie also said that even in plastic floor MATS used by children, countries such as France do not allow manufacturers to add this ingredient.Testing standards to be refined
Countries treat the use of reinforcing agent standards are different, then the market to add reinforcing agent flour can be safe to eat?
Dong Jinshi said that the food standards of various countries have more or less certain differences, but the formulation of food safety standards is based on a risk assessment result, and reference to the guidance standards given by international organizations, if the implementation of the standard is generally not too big problems, because it will leave a certain amount of surplus when the standard is formulated. So consumers do not panic too much.
However, Dong said that although China has clear standards to limit the use of azoformamide, the testing process is still in a vacuum. It is suggested that the relevant departments of the state should strengthen the supervision of the use of reinforcement agents, and at the same time refine the testing standards of reinforcement agents. "Many businesses actually add azoformamide, but not truthfully marked, and bread, noodle manufacturers may also be in the production process of the" secondary addition ", coupled with some illegal traders deliberately conceal or false azoformamide dosage, this superposition is the biggest threat to consumer health."
Associate researcher Zhong Kai of the National Food Safety Risk Assessment Center said that if you want to eliminate azoformamide, you must find a better "successor" than it. At present, scientists are experimenting with new methods such as enzymes and polysaccharides to improve flour products, and I believe there will be more and more affordable options in the future. "If you want to make ordinary flour strong at home, you can 'wake up' after making the flour for a while, or add some salt to the flour."
Dong Jinshi also suggested that azoformamide is not a necessary additive and can be replaced by other additives. Although the foaming efficiency of baking soda is not as good as that of azoformamide, the breakdown of baking soda is harmless. It is recommended that food and catering enterprises try not to use azoformamide, especially infant food not to eat.