Uncle Zhang has reached the age of retirement, recently addicted to cooking, and then brushed on the short video: Our commonly used spices, such as oyster sauce and MSG, are all harmed by merchants to make money, and these will cause cancer! Uncle Zhang thought about it, it seems that it does make some sense, after all, there was no need to put these spices in the countryside before, everyone's body seems to be healthier, and it is not easy to get cancer.
Then he shared the video with the group, and everyone in the group said different things, some agreed, some thought it was nonsense. So what are the facts? Listen to Xiao Ai slowly.
First, does oyster sauce really cause cancer?
Oyster sauce is a condiment made from oysters (oysters) to enhance the umami flavor of dishes. According to national standards, oyster sauce is usually made by cooking the juice extracted after cooking oysters, and then concentrated or adding salt, sugar, starch and other raw materials and additives. High-quality oyster sauce may be rich in nutrients such as amino acids, zinc, taurine, etc., so adding it to dishes will not only increase umami, but also supplement nutrients in moderation.
In recent years, the idea of "fuel consumption causes cancer" has been circulating on the Internet, is there really a scientific basis for this? Today, Xiao Ai will take you to find out.
1. The "carcinogenic threat" of irrational storage of oyster sauce
Oyster sauce contains a variety of amino acids, trace minerals, esters and organic acids. If oyster sauce is exposed to room temperature for a long time after opening the bottle, it is easy to oxidize and decompose, increasing the risk of contamination by harmful microorganisms, leading to spoilage and mildew. In this case, harmful substances such as aflatoxin may be produced, increasing the potential risk of carcinogenesis.
Therefore, in order to reduce the risk, it is best to choose small bottles when buying oyster sauce to shorten the storage time. Once the bottle is opened, oyster sauce should be stored in the refrigerator (0-4 ° C) refrigerated and consumed as early as possible.
2. "Carcinogenic threat of sodium glutamate" in oyster sauce
Oyster sauce is rumored to contain sodium glutamate, and when sodium glutamate is heated above 120°C, sodium pyroglutamate is formed, which is a carcinogen. However, this statement is not accurate.
Like MSG and chicken essence, the sodium glutamate in oyster sauce is primarily an ingredient that provides umami. Although some chemical reactions occur at high temperatures, sodium pyroglutamate is not considered a carcinogen. It simply loses some of its umami during heating without posing a carcinogenic risk to the body.
Therefore, it is recommended that oyster sauce or other condiments that provide umami can be added before cooking, which can meet the needs of umami without producing the rumored harmful substances. In conclusion, proper storage and use of oyster sauce can help reduce potential risks.
Second, can MSG also cause cancer?
I don't know if you have found that it seems that fewer and fewer families will use MSG, which is inextricably linked to the rumor of "delicate cancer". Some people claim that MSG is more terrible than salt and sugar, and believe that when the temperature exceeds 100 ° C, MSG will form toxic sodium pyroglutamate, which is harmful to health and even carcinogenic. But this statement needs to be clarified.
MSG contains about 80%~90% sodium glutamate. In the process of long-term high-temperature cooking, there will indeed be a small part of sodium glutamate converted into sodium pyroglutamate, but this proportion is very small, and the impact on the human body is negligible.
Many international authorities have carried out various toxicological tests, and so far have not found any danger to the human body from consuming MSG within the normal use range. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has made it clear that under the current usage and conditions, long-term consumption of MSG will not cause any problems to the human body.
Therefore, according to the evaluation and scientific research of international authorities, as long as it is used within reasonable limits, it is safe to consume MSG.
In addition, some people may mistakenly think that chicken essence has more relative ingredients, so they think that chicken essence is more nutritious than MSG. However, this view is inaccurate. In fact, MSG and chicken essence are not fundamentally different in nature, as they are both seasonings used to enhance the umami taste of food.
MSG is mainly composed of sodium glutamate and is a single ingredient. Chicken essence, on the other hand, is a compound seasoning that usually contains a variety of ingredients, of which sodium glutamate is just one of them. From a nutritional point of view, sodium glutamate is an amino acid salt that is related to the normal metabolism of the human body, but it does not provide a lot of nutritional value.
Therefore, the claim that chicken essence is safer or healthier than MSG lacks scientific basis. Whether it is MSG or chicken essence, it is safe to use in moderation.
Third, the real carcinogenic are these 5 categories
1. Aflatoxin
Aflatoxin usually comes from moldy foods, and a 2007 study published in the Chinese Journal of Food Hygiene found that dietary exposure to aflatoxin in Chinese people mainly comes from corn and rice. In addition, foods such as peanuts and peanut oil may also contain aflatoxin.
Some common sources of aflatoxin include moldy corn and rice, as well as spoiled nuts. If you notice a bitter taste in nuts, you should spit them out and gargle immediately. In addition, worn or uncleaned bamboo chopsticks may also have starch residues, which poses a risk of mold.
2. Benzopyrene: food that has been grilled and fried at high temperature
Pan Zhanhe, deputy chief physician of the oncology department at Zhongshan Hospital affiliated to Xiamen University, pointed out that the preparation process of grilled and smoked foods may produce heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, the most well-known of which is benzopyrene. Therefore, many baked and smoked foods can contain these chemicals.
In 2018, a study by Jinan University found that during the barbecue process, the body's intake of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is as follows: eating barbecue food > skin contact > lung inhalation. This means that when grilled, the skin absorbs more carcinogens than the lungs inhale.
Common sources of benzopyrene include grilled meat, as it may be produced during the grilling or smoking process. In addition, high-temperature fried foods may also contain benzopyrene, because cooking oil will produce a lot of benzopyrene at high temperatures, and the higher the oil temperature, the more benzopyrene is produced. There is also stir-fry fumes, which may also carry benzopyrene when stir-frying, so it is best to add ingredients before the oil in the pan smokes.
3. Nitrosamines
Smoked foods are rich in nitrosamines, and certain digestive tumors, such as esophageal cancer, are associated with the amount of nitrosamines consumed in the diet. When smoked food is ingested with wine, the harm of nitrosamines to human health will be multiplied. Although nitrites themselves are not carcinogenic, once in the body, they bind to proteins to form carcinogenic nitrosamines.
In addition, some processed meat products, such as sausages, ham, and bacon, often have nitrite added to them, making them a common source of nitrosamines. Overnight vegetables, especially overnight leafy greens, may also produce nitrite and can lead to a decrease in their nutritional value.
As for smoked and cured foods, like pickles, salted fish, and bacon, they usually contain high amounts of nitrite. For example, pickled foods contain the most nitrite between two or three days and a dozen days after they start pickling.
4. Cigarette tar
Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke are both classified as Class I carcinogens by institutions such as the World Health Organization. Cigarettes produce nearly 4,000 new chemicals during combustion, most of which are harmful to humans. The most harmful ingredients in particular include nicotine, nitric oxide and cigarette tar, the latter of which is thought to be the main cause of cancer.
It is worth noting that smoking is not only related to lung cancer, it is also closely related to a variety of cancers such as nasopharyngeal cancer, oral cancer, esophageal cancer, etc.
5. Acetaldehyde
The main component of wine is ethanol, which oxidizes to acetaldehyde when it enters liver cells, and acetaldehyde is considered hepatotoxic and carcinogenic. Acetaldehyde accumulated in excess of the body can cause serious harm to the liver. Therefore, acetaldehyde associated with the intake of alcoholic beverages is classified as a class I carcinogen.
According to the 2014 World Cancer Report, about 3.5% of cancer cases are related to alcoholic beverages, and one in every 30 cancer deaths is caused by alcohol.
But it should be reminded that although there are various carcinogens around us, these substances usually only cause cancer in the case of long-term and excessive ingestion. If you're only occasional, with limited intake, or occasionally, with less exposure, don't worry too much, it's generally safe.
Resources:
[1] "Terrible! Oyster sauce can cause cancer, must not eat? Many people have no idea about this...". Popular Science China.2021-10-30
[2] "Will eating too much MSG cause cancer? Is chicken essence better than MSG? One article tells you it all...". Popular Science China. 2021-04-30
[3] "5 super carcinogens hidden around, see if you eat it often!" 》. Popular Science China.2023-07-13
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