Theoretically, bamboo and wooden chopsticks should be replaced every 3-6 months. Chopsticks with a service life of more than 6 months may breed aflatoxin. Aflatoxin is classified as a class 1 carcinogen by the World Health Organization. After entering the human body, it remains in the liver the most (5-15 times that of other tissues and organs), so it is also the most harmful to the liver.
Although aflatoxin is indeed the inducement of some liver cancers, the premise is that it needs to reach a certain dose, so there is no need to be too nervous. Of course, in order to reduce this part of the risk, it is still necessary to replace or disinfect it regularly and maintain hygiene to prevent disease from entering through the mouth. How to judge whether chopsticks should be changed? The experts interviewed by life times will teach you some tricks.
Interviewed experts
Huo Junsheng, researcher and doctoral supervisor of the Institute of nutrition and food safety of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Duan Weihong, director of hepatobiliary surgery of rocket Army General Hospital
Luo Yunbo, Dean of School of food science and nutrition engineering, China Agricultural University
Xu Wei, member of Heilongjiang Health Management Society
in these three cases, change chopsticks quickly
1 chopsticks change color and mildew spots
After using ordinary chopsticks for 3-6 months, the color of the chopstick head will become dark, and it will remain the same even after careful brushing. This is the color change caused by the long-term accumulation of bacteria.
Before eating, carefully observe whether there are spots on the surface of chopsticks, especially mildew. If there are spots on chopsticks that are not the natural color of bamboo or wood, it is likely that they have become moldy and deteriorated, and can not be used. Chopsticks that have become discolored and have mildew spots are very likely to breed “aflatoxin”, so it is best to replace them as soon as possible.
2 scratches and wear
In order to prolong the service life of both bamboo chopsticks and wooden chopsticks, the manufacturer will generally brush a layer of edible paint – raw lacquer on the surface of chopsticks, so that the surface of chopsticks is not easy to be attached by bacteria.
However, if chopsticks are used for a long time, the raw paint on the surface will fall off or be damaged. In addition, the process of frequent use and scrubbing will leave deep and shallow scars on chopsticks, making the surface of chopsticks rough and easy to cause microbial residues and breeding.
Therefore, once the chopsticks are found to be scratched, worn or deformed, they should be replaced in time.
3 peculiar smell
Chopsticks that are bent or deformed, look very wet or smell obviously sour are signs of contamination or expiration, and cannot be used again.
What does a pair of healthy chopsticks look like?
1 material: bamboo chopsticks and stainless steel chopsticks are more hygienic
Bamboo chopsticks are made of natural materials and are not easy to deform. Considering safety, hygiene and price, bamboo chopsticks are the best choice.
Stainless steel chopsticks are more hygienic. However, at present, the quality of stainless steel chopsticks is uneven. If the quality is not up to standard, it may lead to the precipitation of heavy metals. During use, avoid long-term contact with vinegar and salt. Do not use cleaning balls or strong acids and alkalis to clean them, which will lead to the dissolution of heavy metals.
Although the surface of metal chopsticks is worn, they are not easy to hide dirt.
In addition, there are many melamine chopsticks on the market, which look similar to plastic. If they are cleaned, the probability of breeding bacteria is small. But when you buy them, you must recognize the QS mark and beware of fake and shoddy products produced with urea formaldehyde resin that are not heat-resistant and easy to release the carcinogen formaldehyde.
2color: the best choice is the primary color
When choosing chopsticks, no matter what the material is, the most taboo is patterns, colorful or uneven surfaces. It is best to choose chopsticks of primary colors (no coloring, no painting) and integrated molding (smooth, no scoring, no carving).
This is because, during the dyeing process of colored chopsticks, harmful substances may remain, and once the pigment falls off and is eaten by mistake, it is also harmful to health; The uneven surface will harbor dirt and become a hotbed of bacteria and molds.
3 chopsticks painted with raw lacquer are better than “naked color”
Many people think that “naked” chopsticks are hygienic and environmentally friendly. In fact, if you don’t apply a layer of raw lacquer, chopsticks are more likely to absorb water, wear and crack, leaving food residues in the cracks and breeding bacteria.
Painting raw lacquer is like putting a “protective film” on chopsticks, which can be waterproof.
3 tips to help you extend the “life” of chopsticks
1. Don’t bite chopsticks when eating
If the chopstick head is bitten, the groove on the surface will be stained with many residual food scraps, greasy and other dirt. If it is not cleaned thoroughly, various bacteria and germs will breed. For example, Helicobacter pylori is the easiest to spread on chopsticks, causing gastroenteritis.
2. Don’t fry food with chopsticks.
Bamboo and wood chopsticks will carbonize and turn black after frying, and their hardness will deteriorate. They are prone to mold, slag and dirt. Lacquer chopsticks contain heavy metals such as lead and chromium, which may lead to heavy metal poisoning and cancer risk after frying.
3. Avoid acidic and alkaline cleaning solutions
When cleaning chopsticks, do not use alkaline or acidic cleaning solutions such as baking soda and citric acid, so as not to damage the surface of chopsticks and cause the waterproof paint on the outer layer to fall off.
if you wash chopsticks in this way, the more dirty they become
Many people are very “forthright” when washing chopsticks at home. They wash them under the faucet, rub them noisily, and then insert them into the chopstick barrel. Experts pointed out that with this washing method, chopsticks may not be thoroughly washed, and bacteria will soon breed.
It is recommended to clean as follows, once every two weeks:
Soak the chopsticks in detergent for a few minutes, and then rinse them with running water;
Put the chopsticks into the disinfection cupboard for disinfection and drying, or soak the chopsticks in boiling water for about 10 minutes and drain the water;
Clean the storage box, dry the chopsticks, put them in it, and maintain ventilation.
It should be reminded that chopsticks are easy to be contaminated with viruses, bacteria and chemicals during production and transportation. Therefore, newly bought chopsticks should be cleaned with tap water first, then with detergent, and finally put into a pot and boiled in boiling water for half an hour. Bamboo chopsticks should be carefully scraped off. If there is a peculiar smell, it can be soaked in vinegar for half an hour or boiled with tea for half an hour.
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