Poisonous dried beans? ! Consumer Council: 20% of excessively added preservatives

Dried tofu is not only a common offering for worship in the seventh month of the lunar calendar, but also a daily food for people. However, an investigation report by a consumer protection group pointed out that in order to keep the bright yellow appearance of dried tofu, some unscrupulous operators About 25% of the samples were illegally added with industrial colorings, and 20% of the dried tofu products were excessively added with preservatives. Long-term excessive consumption may damage the liver and affect human health. Yellow dried tofu is a common food ingredient for Chinese people, but an investigation by the Consumer Council found that some unscrupulous operators have illegally added industrial colorings and preservatives, and long-term consumption may be harmful to human health. (Photography/Huang Zhiwen)

The Consumer Culture and Education Foundation of the Republic of China conducted sampling of yellow dried soybeans at the traditional market and dusk market in Shuangbei City, testing colorants, preservatives, fungicides and other items. It was found that among the 20 samples, 5 illegally added industrial pigment soap yellow, 4 contained excessive preservative benzoic acid, and 1 illegally retained hydrogen peroxide, violating the Food Hygiene Management Act and other relevant regulations.

Among the dried yellow soybeans sampled, the companies that illegally added industrial coloring soap yellow were the stalls in front of No. 61, Jingmei Street, Wenshan District, Taipei City, and the stalls in front of No. 11-1, Lane 45, Minsheng West Road, Datong District, Taipei City , the stall in front of No. 120 Hulin Street, Xinyi District, Taipei City, the stall No. 37 of Beitou Market, and the stall No. 7 of Shidong Market (Zhenzhen Hot Pot Cuisine Specialty Store). Among them, samples from the last four companies mentioned above were also found to contain excessive amounts of the preservative benzoic acid.

In addition, yellow dried soybeans sold at No. 8-2, Lane 77, Section 2, Roosevelt Road, Daan District, Taipei City, were found to contain the fungicide hydrogen peroxide, which violates the prohibition of inspection. out regulations.

The main purpose of adding colorants to food is to beautify the appearance of the food and increase appetite, but it does not contribute to the nutritional value or preservation of the food itself. At present, the artificial edible colorants allowed to be added in appropriate amounts in China are edible red No. 6, 7 and 40, edible yellow No. 4 and 5, edible green No. 3, edible blue No. 1 and 2, etc., but this inspection found that Saponin is actually an industrial pigment. If consumed regularly, it may cause liver cell damage and seriously affect your health. The Consumer Council said that even if artificial colorants are legally added to food, consumers may still experience allergic reactions such as itching, edema, palpitations or anaphylactic shock. (Picture provided/Consumers Foundation)

Consumers Foundation stated that even if it is legal to add edible artificial colorants, some consumers with more sensitive constitutions may still experience itching, edema, palpitations or It is an allergic reaction such as anaphylactic shock, and long-term accumulation may also cause cancer. In addition, studies have shown that mixing colorants such as Yellow No. 5 or Red No. 40 with the preservative benzoic acid may induce attention-deficient hyperactive behavior in children.

As for the addition of preservatives and bactericides to food, although they can inhibit the growth of microorganisms and extend the shelf life, excessive amounts of preservatives will put a burden on the human body. In this regard, the Consumer Foundation calls on industry operators to make improvements as soon as possible so that consumers can eat with peace of mind.