How to distinguish between clean vermicelli and chemically contaminated vermicelli

Vermicelli may contain chemicals, heavy can cause cancer, mild can cause poisoning and diarrhea. How to distinguish between clean and chemically contaminated noodles?

If you want to know exactly if your vermicelli is contaminated with chemicals, you can only get it tested. (Illustration).

Vermicelli is made by hand so it is difficult to control the ingredients and additives used. Therefore, it is difficult to distinguish chemically contaminated vermicelli with the naked eye or taste. However, you can look at the color of the noodles to rule it out.

Vermicelli is made from rice, so the color of the finished vermicelli will not be whiter than rice but is usually ivory white similar to the color of rice. If the vermicelli is unusually white, the vermicelli stalks are bright and crispy, then it is likely that the processor has added bleach or some similar substance to make the vermicelli whiter.

Vermicelli without chemicals feels stickier to the touch .

To know exactly if vermicelli is contaminated with chemicals, you can only have it tested. Vermicelli using bleach and borax is often bright and beautiful, but eating it can cause stomach pain, diarrhea, poisoning, and in the long term lead to liver failure, kidney failure, and even cancer.

In addition, vermicelli made from rice is easily sour and needs to be stored at low or cool temperatures to avoid poisoning.

Associate Professor Tran Hong Con, Department
of Chemistry, Hanoi University of Natural Sciences

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