Plasticizer can't escape how to avoid harm

Plasticizers, called plasticizers in Taiwan, are plastic processing aids that are added to plastic polymers to increase plasticity. The most commonly used plasticizer is DEHP (phthalate diacetate), which is mainly used in PVC {polyvinyl chloride) plastic products such as cling film, food packaging, toys, catheters, infusion bags, and the like. The Taiwanese beverage safety incident is precisely what some unscrupulous manufacturers add to the food in the emulsifying agent that replaces the higher cost emulsifier.

Professor Wu Yongning, chief scientist of the Ministry of Health's health industry research special project on food safety, pointed out that the molecular structure of phthalate divine vinegar is similar to that of hormones and can mimic the effects of estrogen. It is called "environmental endocrine disruptor" or "environmental female". hormone". If the long-term consumption may cause abnormal reproductive endocrine system, including human hormone imbalance and immune decline, male gender, causing children's gender confusion, including genital small, small sexual characteristics, induced precocious puberty, and even teratogenic and , carcinogenic risk.

Wu Yongning stressed that plasticizers, as the name implies, are plastic additives that add processing aids to plastics. They are plastic additives. Therefore, it is not a food raw material, nor is it a food additive. It is forbidden to illegally add it directly to food. 'Because plastic products using plasticizers are common in life, phthalates are widely present in air, water, soil and other environments and can be absorbed into the human body through the respiratory tract, digestive tract and skin. If only a small amount of plasticizer is present in the body, there is little risk of harm to the human body and no treatment is required. At present, in many countries, different concentrations of phthalates have been detected in the atmosphere, lakes, rivers and soils. Foods also have traces of plasticizers that migrate from packaging materials to food during storage, but the amount of qualified plastic packaging material should not exceed the relevant standards.

"According to the modern society's lifestyle, it is almost impossible to avoid phthalate vinegar completely. However, there is no need to be overly nervous because the risk of plasticizers that are exposed to normal life is harmful to the human body. "Wu Yongning said.

In order to reduce food intake of phthalate vinegar, Wu Yongning suggested changing daily life habits. First, when choosing food containers, if you can use less plastic materials, use high-quality stainless steel, glass and ceramic containers instead. Second, the plastic wrap used for food preservation should be made of a material that does not contain plasticizers, and it should not be used to heat the cling film together with food at high temperatures. It is also better to use plastic wrap, plastic bags, and grease-proof paper, etc., to pack and store foods. Third, try to avoid using plastic containers, plastic bags, edible oils, and oil-based foods. Use less when drinking hot water, hot soup, tea, coffee, etc. Fourth, use plastic containers as little as possible to put food in microwave ovens because the microwave oven heats up at a very high temperature, and oily foods will accelerate the dissolution of plasticizers.