When Xiaoling helped her mother tidy up the refrigerator today, she found that many dishes were stored in plastic bags.
"Mom, this plastic bag is poisonous, don't use it to load vegetables in our house in the future, the news says it will cause cancer!"
Xiaoling's mother listened to her words, took out a bag of vegetables from the refrigerator, and looked at it carefully.
"Really, these plastic bags cause cancer?" asked Xiaoling's mother, looking a little worried.
Xiao Ling nodded, "Yes, it is said on the Internet that the chemicals in plastic bags will penetrate into the food, and long-term consumption will cause health effects. ”
"Oh, I don't know, I just think the plastic bag is convenient, so I don't dare to use it in the future!" Xiaoling's mother took a deep breath, quickly put all the food back into the bowl, and threw away the plastic bag.
1. What kind of plastic bag can't hold ingredients?
Our daily lives seem to be inseparable from plastic products: drinking glasses, cutlery, straws, packing boxes, etc...... Plastic products are like a large family, each with different characteristics, some are sensitive to heat, and some are taboo to oil. If you choose the wrong type of plastic, it is very likely to cause harm to your health!
Especially after going to the vegetable market to buy vegetables and shopping in the supermarket, many people directly save the food in the plastic bags given by the supermarket, which is really not advisable!
Under normal circumstances, the darker the color of the plastic bag, the more harmful substances it contains.
For example, black plastic bags are often used in garbage bags, as they are mostly made of recycled materials and are usually dyed to cover up impurities. That's why black plastic bags are rarely used for food.
Secondly, colored plastic bags such as blue or red may contain a variety of harmful ingredients, and too much exposure may even cause cancer.
In addition, there are some problems with even white plastic bags. If they are not of the highest quality, they cannot be used to hold food.
Plastic bags contain a variety of ingredients that are not good for health, and long-term exposure may affect physical health.
For example, most colored plastic bags use colorants with benzopyrene, a strong carcinogen. In addition, plasticizers on the surface of plastic bags may also be precipitated, and when the human body comes into contact with the ingredients in the bag, these plasticizers can enter the body and cause serious health hazards.
In addition, research from Uppsala University in Sweden has shown that a chemical commonly found in plastics called phthalates may disrupt insulin production and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes in older adults.
Regarding the selection of plastic bags, Xiao Jiu has two suggestions:
First, do not use plastic bags that are soft to the touch and do not have QS logos, because this type of plastic bag is sensitive to oil and heat, and may release harmful substances when used for a long time;
Second, try to avoid black plastic bags and colored plastic bags, because black plastic bags have more impurities and harmful components, and colored plastic bags contain more carcinogenic benzopyrene.
In life, when it comes to the choice of plastic products, especially in the case of food contact, we need to pay extra attention to reduce the potential health risks.
2. Only this kind of plastic bag can be used to hold ingredients
It is important to note that only "food grade" polyethylene (PE) material bags that are specifically designed for food can be used to hold fresh food. These bags are specially treated to ensure that no harmful substances are released when they come into contact with food, thus ensuring food safety and hygiene.
Xiao Jiu reminds you that if you want plastic bags to enter the refrigerator, you can only ensure that the plastic bags themselves are non-toxic, such as meeting the specifications of PE plastic bags. Only when we meet the health standards, we can rest assured that the plastic bags will be put in the refrigerator, and the plastic bags that do not meet these requirements still have the risk of health hazards!
However, please note: PE plastic bags are not suitable for everything, and the following two types of food are not recommended, otherwise they are "poisoning" themselves.
1. Frozen meat
Plastic bags provided by supermarkets are usually for temporary use by customers when they buy them, and are not suitable for long-term freezer preservation. The combination of PE plastic bags, which have a poor seal, and meat that is prone to spoilage, can lead to the growth of microorganisms on the surface of food. In addition, long-term freezing of meat in PE plastic bags may cause the plastic bag to stick to the meat, and plastic fragments may remain in the meat after thawing, increasing the risk of accidentally ingesting plastic and causing health hazards.
2. Hot food
PE plastic bags have poor heat resistance, and may melt, decompose, and release harmful phthalates under high temperature conditions. Hot foods such as steamed buns, porridge, egg soup, tofu brain, etc., which have just come out of the pot, are not suitable for PE plastic bags, and food with PE plastic bags should not be heated in the microwave oven.
3. 4 tips to preserve food properly
The preservation stability of food is affected by a variety of factors, in addition to the internal factors such as disease resistance, processing methods and packaging methods of the food itself, the temperature, humidity and light in the external environment are also the main factors that determine its storage effect. Therefore, the correct storage method becomes crucial.
1. Staple food
For example, rice, flour, grain and oil, dried fruits, dried vermicelli, etc., should be placed in a clean and dry container, placed in a cool, ventilated and dry place indoors, to avoid being affected by high temperature and light. Cooked staple foods such as steamed buns, baked cakes, bread, etc. should be placed in a plastic bag and placed in the refrigerator, if stored for more than 2 days, they should be sealed and frozen.
2. Fruits and vegetables
It is advisable to avoid buying too much at once, especially leafy greens, and it is best to consume them within 2-3 days. Vegetables should be stored in a refrigerated environment for no more than a week, and southern fruits such as dragon fruit, banana and mango should be kept in a cool place. During storage, moldy and rotten food should be picked out in time to avoid spreading contamination.
3. Packaged food
It can be stored according to the advice on the food label. However, some nutritious packaged foods, such as milk, are recommended to be consumed as soon as possible after opening to avoid contamination by pathogenic microorganisms and rapid multiplication after exposure to air.
4. Animal food
For example, fish, meat, eggs, etc. are rich in protein and oil, and are susceptible to spoilage due to the influence of a variety of microorganisms. Eggs and other eggs should be refrigerated at 2~5 °C, and it is best to consume them within 20 days. Fish and meat should be packed according to meals and then stored in the refrigerator to avoid contamination by air and bacteria.
Proper food storage practices are essential to maintain the quality and safety of food. Keeping food clean, dry, and protected from light, and paying attention to temperature, humidity, and ventilation can extend the shelf life of food. By knowing the right way to store it, we can enjoy our food better and protect our health.
Resources:
[1] "When you come back from grocery shopping, don't put the plastic bag containing the vegetables in the refrigerator, otherwise... 》. CCTV4.2016-08-22
[2] "[Food Safety Science] Toxic and Harmful and Sick!There are these plastic bags at home, quickly lose them".Luzhou Market Supervision.2022-08-03
[3] "Free plastic bags in the supermarket, don't pull them home anymore! Forward and remind the people around you".Yuxueyuan.2023-08-04
[4] "Toxic and harmful and sick!There are these plastic bags at home, quickly throw them away".Popular Science China.2022-07-19
[5] "Storing food in this way is easy to spoil!The correct way is to ......".xinhuanet.2021-11-15
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