Risk of poisoning from plastic chopsticks and wooden chopsticks

In mid-2013, authorities discovered a disposable bamboo chopsticks that contained levels of cancer-causing chemicals. But plastic chopsticks and wooden chopsticks are being sold and used are also at risk.

Plastic chopsticks: fireproof

Visit some roadside restaurants, we ask for some chopsticks that are used in these places and bring them to HCMC University of Technology and Food thanks to testing. MSc Dao Thanh Khe, a lecturer in the School of Chemical Technology, said plastic chopsticks are usually made from melamine plastic and ABS plastic . After using fire to burn but not burning chopsticks, plus product information, it can be concluded that these chopsticks are made of melamine resin.

Chopsticks at the restaurant: Where's the source?

According to MSc Khe, the reaction between melamine and formaldehyde gives MF plastic , a kind of thermosetting resin , which is non-flammable, long-lasting in color air slightly changed, decomposed at 345 ^o C. Heat, hard, durable, can be used as wood, mica, chopsticks, kitchen materials . but will decompose under the temperature of the kitchen fire (maybe over 1,000 degrees Celsius).

And ABS plastic chopsticks are only available online. MS Khe said that ABS is an abbreviation for poly (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) , often used as technical products such as TV covers, computers, helmets . and kitchen utensils. ABS has the characteristics of three different resins, acrylonitrile, butadiene, styrene. At normal temperatures ABS has a high hardness, melting at 99.8 degrees C, plasticizing at 228 degrees Celsius, easy to burn. Although ABS plastic is slightly soluble in oil, alcohol, water . but should not use chopsticks made from this plastic to fry, cook, stir in solvents such as alcohol, alcohol, vinegar .

Wooden chopsticks: moist hydrophobic

Dr. Nguyen Thanh Danh, Department of Clinical Nutrition, Ho Chi Minh City Nutrition Center said that wooden chopsticks with poor quality, not smooth will be easy to stick to food, if washing is not clean, it will make bacteria , mold develops, causing food poisoning with gastrointestinal manifestations such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, if severe poisoning can result from cardiovascular collapse. Causes of acute food poisoning are often caused by bacteria such as campylobacter jejuni, salmonella, escherichia coli, staphylococcus, clostridium botulinum. Also causing chronic poisoning are some toxic molds contaminated with food such as aspergilus flavus mushroom, aspergilus pataciticus often found in peanuts, corn, dried coconut, soybean meal that is moldy, can produce toxic aflatoxin toxin , is the cause of liver cancer. Aflatoxins are not degraded at normal boiling temperatures (100 degrees Celsius) but only decompose at 120 degrees C. Mold is easy to grow (after a few days) on chopsticks used for legumes, Special cereals are peanuts.

Wood chopsticks samples by experimentalists dipped into peanut and cooking oil mixture and washed with tap water appeared signs of infection, poisonous mushrooms.

According to Dr. Danh's instructions, we put wooden chopsticks into the peanut and cooking oil mixture and then rinse with tap water, then leave at normal temperature. After four days, on the chopsticks appeared some tiny white mold spots. Dr. Danh explained: ' Unsealed chopsticks with soap and dry cleaning are susceptible to bacteria and poisonous fungi in the environment that cling to food left on chopsticks and risk of spreading to food when using chopsticks afterwards. In addition chopsticks are also at risk of chemical contamination from dishwashing liquid '.

Risk of liver and kidney damage

MSc Khe said, using plastic chopsticks to fry in hot environments will cause chopsticks to deform and produce harmful plastic powders for health. Melamine plastic when swallowed or inhaled or absorbed through the skin for a long time can cause cancer or infertility. The usual lethal dose is 3g for each body weight sign. Scientists from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) explain melamine and cyanuric acid absorbed into the blood, concentrating and interacting in the urine in the renal pelvis and crystallizing into circular crystals. yellow, causing kidney damage, kidney stones.'No information on ABS toxicity has been found, but in theory, if styrene polymerization in ABS plastic is incomplete, a small amount of unbound mono-styrene will be extracted from the resin. ABS if meeting favorable conditions (high temperature, suitable solvent). Mono-styren is a carcinogen for humans and animals and causes acute poisoning if high-dose poisoning , 'MS Khe added. He also recommends: when melamine chopsticks are newly purchased, it has a high gloss, easy to clean food on the surface, but after using time, chopsticks will be deformed, rough, peeled, if not replaced, one The amount of plastic from the chopsticks will enter the body along the food line.

As for Dr. Danh's advice, after washing the chopsticks with soap, wash it over three times with clean water, or preferably with chopsticks through boiling water, dry, leave in a dry, clean place, avoid mice, bugs and insects cling to infection of pathogens . When detecting that the chopsticks have holes, worn, burned, deformed, damaged or used for too long, they must be replaced.

In short, to avoid the risk of poisoning, limit the use of chopsticks made from chemicals because it is difficult to control safety during use.It is best to choose natural wood chopsticks such as old bamboo wood, old coconut or smoothed ebony, the chopsticks are not ragged, no concave slots . After use, wash clean chopsticks and store in a dry place. Although chopsticks have no abnormal expression, they should only be used for 6 - 12 months before changing.