Oyster sauce is carcinogenic, supermarket rice with preservatives, and strong static electricity are signs of illness...
Rumors are "by your side" in November, don't believe these nonsense
◎Reporter Chen Xi
As the saying goes, "Civil people think of heaven, and food is safe first."
The safety on the tip of the tongue is closely related to the daily life of the people, and it is also particularly concerned.
Because of this, in order to gain attention, "wishful people" will deliberately create rumors about food. These rumors cause panic and cause many innocent foods to be blacklisted.
Last month, there were a lot of rumors in this regard: eating oyster sauce causes cancer, supermarket rice does not grow insects because of the addition of preservatives, and drinking hydrogen-rich water can resist aging... Today, a reporter from Science and Technology Daily carried out a report on the November rumors. Take inventory to help you clear the fog and find the truth.
Eat oyster sauce to cause cancer?
Truth: The so-called carcinogens are not only harmless but beneficial
First is MSG, then chicken essence, and recently it is fuel-consuming. These condiments commonly used by ordinary people have been pulled into the blacklist of carcinogens one by one by rumors, and the carcinogenic blacklist of these condiments is called sodium glutamate. Of the substance.
"Oyster sauce was first made by boiling oysters, but now on the market, some additives are added to oyster sauce in order to extend the shelf life and enhance the taste. The main ingredients are oyster concentrate, white sugar and sodium glutamate. Among them, sodium glutamate is the main source of the aroma of oyster sauce." Wang Hao, a professor at the School of Food Science and Engineering of Tianjin University of Science and Technology, said in an interview with a reporter from Science and Technology Daily that sodium glutamate, which makes everyone "distracted", is currently A condiment recognized worldwide, it is a combination of glutamic acid (extracted from wheat and corn starch) and sodium.
After entering the stomach, sodium glutamate is decomposed into glutamate and sodium under the influence of gastric acid.
For the human body, glutamic acid has no carcinogenic effect. On the contrary, like other amino acids, it can constitute the protein required by human tissues.
Many foods also contain this substance, such as tomatoes, beans, corn, kelp and so on.
There are also rumors that the reason why sodium glutamate is carcinogenic is that when cooking, if the temperature exceeds 150 degrees Celsius, it will be converted into sodium pyroglutamate at high temperatures. This substance is toxic and can cause cancer.
In this regard, Wang Hao said that there is currently no evidence that sodium pyroglutamate can cause cancer, and it has not been seen in the World Health Organization's "Carcinogen List".
In addition to the saying that heating oyster sauce causes cancer, there is also a saying on the Internet that it can cause cancer if fuel is not stored in the refrigerator.
In response to this statement, Wang Hao said that the nature of oyster sauce is unstable, and the nutrients are easily oxidized in a normal temperature environment. Therefore, the fuel consumption instructions generally say "please store in a cool and dry place, and refrigerate after opening the lid."
However, this does not mean that oyster sauce that has not been refrigerated will cause cancer, and the two should not be confused.
Is it because the supermarket rice does not grow insects because of the preservatives?
The truth: storage technology is now up to standard, no additives are needed for corrosion protection
Recently, an article titled "These amazing secrets about rice, you must not know" circulated on the Internet. The article pointed out that "the rice sold in the supermarket does not grow insects because of the addition of preservatives and additives", which has made many netizens Feeling deeply worried.
"Actually, if you read this article carefully, you will find that there are many loopholes." Wang Hao explained. The article pointed out that the food additives that may be added to the rice sold in supermarkets include sodium starch phosphate, sodium diacetate and chitosan. Sodium diacetate is the preservative.
The main argument is the "Standards for the Use of Food Additives" issued by my country in 2007.
However, this version of the standard has long been abolished. In the current GB2760-2014 "Standard for the Use of Food Additives", it has been clearly stipulated that these three food additives will no longer be added to rice.
"The reason why they are no longer added is not because they have safety issues, but because there is no need to add them." Wang Hao said that the rice we eat every day is stored in the form of brown rice, and we will use physical means to treat it before storage. Dry and sterilize.
Before entering the market circulation link, the staff will dehull the brown rice and other finishing processes, and also carry out nitrogen filling or vacuum treatment during the packaging process. Therefore, the problems of rice pests and mildew are very easy to solve. Generally speaking, there is no need to deal with it. Add other substances to prevent insects and mildew.
Sodium diacetate is a preservative, and sodium starch phosphate has a water-absorbing effect. These two substances with antiseptic effects have a higher cost. Nowadays, when there is basically no need to use them, businesses will not do "pleasant and thankless" things.
Chitosan is a thickening agent and coating agent, which can be used to polish the surface of rice. At present, the polishing technology of rice in my country has reached a certain level. There is no need to use chitosan. Not only does it fail to achieve the desired effect, but it increases The processing cost of rice.
Wang Hao said that the use of additives such as preservatives did not significantly change the appearance and quality of rice, but increased production costs. Therefore, there is no profit-driven for businesses.
Moreover, if preservatives or any other food additives are used on the rice in the supermarket, it is illegal and will be punished by the relevant departments. Regular supermarkets will not take the risk of illegally selling rice with additives.
“The shelf life of the refined rice will not be very long. Consumers should try their best to store the purchased rice in a cool and ventilated place to prevent insects or mildew.” Wang Hao suggested.
Can absorbing hydrogen or drinking hydrogen-rich water prevent aging?
Truth: The antioxidant mechanism is not yet clear, so you can't try it yourself
I don't know when, the first element "hydrogen" in the periodic table suddenly "fragrance".
Many businesses sell hydrogen absorption equipment and hydrogen-rich water dispensers under the banner of anti-aging by absorbing hydrogen or drinking hydrogen-rich water.
In the publicity, hydrogen absorption or drinking hydrogen-rich water can not only fight cancer but also improve sleep, as if it can cure all diseases.
The role of hydrogen in anti-oxidation, reducing inflammation, and inhibiting tumor growth does not seem to be groundless.
A recent study showed that hydrogen can activate cell’s endogenous antioxidant enzymes or reduce the damage caused by oxidation to the human body by regulating some cell signaling pathways.
Several studies published in recent years have also shown that hydrogen may affect the concentration of immune cells or immune factors in the blood, thereby inhibiting tumor growth.
At present, the various effects of hydrogen are still at the research level. This is mainly because the specific mechanism of hydrogen's anti-oxidation properties at the molecular level has not yet been fully studied.
It is also because hydrogen still has many unsolved mysteries, so more research results and data are needed before it can finally be used in clinical treatment.
At present, the use of hydrogen to treat or prevent diseases is a medical behavior, and it needs to be used in hospitals or medical institutions under the guidance of qualified doctors.
Experts advise not to believe that hydrogen absorption can cure all diseases, and do not try to absorb hydrogen or drink hydrogen-rich water lightly.
Is too much static electricity a sign of illness?
Truth: The strength of static electricity is related to clothing material and air humidity
In the dry winter in the north, many people have acquired a "special function" that is "charged" all over, such as taking off a sweater to instantly "light up".
Recently, some people have made a fuss about the commonplace static electricity, saying that excessive static electricity is a sign of illness.
Related rumors claim that the frequent occurrence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in autumn and winter is related to static electricity, and there are more people with arrhythmia with strong "power".
"The strength of static electricity has nothing to do with physical health." Zhang Sheng, a professor at the School of Chemical Engineering of Tianjin University, said in an interview with a reporter from Science and Technology Daily. Simply put, static electricity is caused by the uneven distribution of positive and negative charges.
When a person walks and moves, friction between the sole and the floor, and friction between the clothes, will generate an electrostatic field.
If the sole of the shoe is insulated, the charge on the human body will accumulate and discharge will occur when it comes in contact with other objects.
"The reason why the human body has a stronger ability to charge in winter is because of the dry weather in winter and the clothes you wear, and most of the clothes contain chemical fiber components. This kind of material is more likely to generate static electricity. After friction, the human body is easy to accumulate a large amount of Charge." Zhang Sheng explained that if the air humidity is high, the tiny droplets in the air will increase the conductivity of the air, reduce the charge accumulated on the human body, and it will be less prone to static electricity.
It can be seen that how much static electricity a person has is more related to clothing materials and air humidity.
Moreover, from the current research results, static electricity will not directly affect the interior of the organism, except for the surface irritation to the hair and skin.