Do oyster sauce and soy sauce cause cancer? Reminder: 4 things in the kitchen may be cancer-causing 'accomplices'
Xiao Zhang lives alone outside. Early in the morning, Xiao Zhang received two articles recommended by his mother: "Don't eat oyster sauce, it will cause cancer, throw away the ones you still use at home", "Oyster sauce will cause cancer when heated, and many people don't eat it. already."
He also warned, "My dear, you should be careful when you cook your own food. I heard that soy sauce and oyster sauce are added with any chemical ingredients. There is a risk of cancer, so don't eat them." "
But Xiao Zhang thinks that the dishes fried without soy sauce and oyster sauce are not delicious. Is the truth really like what Xiao Zhang's mother said?
1. Is oyster sauce the culprit of cancer?
In daily life, if you want to cook a delicious dish, then the help of seasoning is naturally indispensable. In addition to salt, sugar and soy sauce, oyster sauce is also very common.
Oyster sauce is a condiment made from oysters through a special process. It has the aroma of fresh oysters and is rich in nutrition. It contains more than 18 kinds of amino acids, most of which are necessary for the human body , as well as organic substances such as alcohols, organic acids, esters, and trace elements necessary for mammals such as copper, zinc, and iodine.
The public 's concerns about the carcinogenic risk of oyster sauce mainly come from two aspects.
On the one hand, there is the risk of "carcinogenicity" caused by improper storage and deterioration and contamination.
Because oyster sauce contains amino acids, various minerals and trace elements, if it is stored at room temperature for a long time after opening, it will be easily oxidized and decomposed, increasing the risk of contamination by certain harmful microorganisms, and then causing spoilage, mildew and other deterioration of oyster sauce.
In the process of deterioration of oyster sauce, it is very likely to produce aflatoxin, a carcinogen. Once consumed, it will undoubtedly increase the risk of cancer such as liver cancer.
On the other hand is the "carcinogenic threat of sodium glutamate" .
Many people think that the sodium glutamate in oyster sauce will generate sodium pyroglutamate when heated, and sodium pyroglutamate will cause cancer, so oyster sauce will cause cancer after heating.
The fact is: monosodium glutamate, chicken essence and oyster sauce all contain a certain amount of sodium glutamate, which may indeed generate sodium pyroglutamate when heated to above 120°C. However, this substance called sodium pyroglutamate does not cause cancer, but it only makes oyster sauce lose its umami after heating.
Therefore, oyster sauce itself will not cause cancer, but improper storage at room temperature may cause cancer risks. Therefore, after opening the oyster sauce, it needs to be refrigerated in the refrigerator and eaten as soon as possible . At the same time, in order to ensure the umami taste, you can add fresh seasonings such as oyster sauce before starting the pot.
Second, soy sauce can cause cancer?
In addition to oyster sauce, there are also netizens on the Internet who pointed out that eating too much soy sauce may also cause cancer. Is this true?
Soy sauce is a condiment made from soybeans, wheat, soybean meal, and bran. It is rich in amino acids, sugars, acids, phenols, alcohols, B vitamins, and pigments.
The remarks about the carcinogenicity of soy sauce are actually mainly derived from the caramel pigment in soy sauce, which contains the carcinogen "4-methylimidazole", so it is directly asserted that soy sauce is carcinogenic.
But in fact, this statement lacks scientific basis, because caramel coloring is a legal additive , which is allowed to be added to soy sauce in international standards.
As for "4-methylimidazole", there are also strict regulations in the national standard, that is, the content of "4-methylimidazole" in caramel coloring must not exceed 200mg/kg , so you don't need to worry too much, saying that soy sauce is carcinogenic It's just a rumor.
3. Improper storage of condiments has risks, how to store them?
In fact, the storage of condiments is very particular. Improper storage may accelerate the deterioration of condiments and cause health hazards.
· Store in the refrigerator after opening:
Condiments containing milk, eggs, vegetables and fruits, such as salad dressings and chili sauces . This type of condiment is rich in fat, and fat oxidation will occur when stored at room temperature. If it is stored at room temperature for a long time, it is likely to go mildew and produce carcinogens such as aflatoxin.
Fermented condiments, such as soy milk and fermented bean curd. This kind of condiment will add production bacteria during the production process, and even the fresh-keeping treatment cannot completely kill the microorganisms in it. Therefore, if the lid is left at room temperature after opening, it is likely to further activate and continue to increase the microorganisms in it.
Dry storage after opening:
Common dry seasonings such as dried chili, ginger, garlic and star anise pepper all need to be dried and stored. In addition, seasonings such as soy sauce and vinegar do not need to be stored in the refrigerator, and can be dried at room temperature.
In addition, many people often ignore the state of condiments, and they may still be eaten after they have deteriorated. Here 's a simple way to tell if a condiment has gone bad.
Solid condiments : Absorb moisture and agglomerate, smell a squeak or other peculiar smell, change in color or taste, etc. Once the above problems occur, it may have deteriorated.
Liquid seasoning: The liquid becomes cloudy, there is sediment or bad smell, and the taste is abnormal, which means that it may have deteriorated.
Semi-liquid seasoning : If there is a sour smell, the upper layer becomes thin or there is obvious sediment in the lower layer, it is not suitable to eat.
4. Carcinogenic accomplices in the kitchen, or these 4 things
In fact, the carcinogenic hidden dangers in the kitchen are the following 4 things.
1. High salt
Salt is an indispensable and important seasoning for human beings, but excessive intake of salt is harmful to the body . In particular, a long-term high-salt diet can not only induce hypertension and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, but also increase the incidence of cancers such as gastric cancer and rectal cancer.
According to the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents", the daily salt intake per person should not exceed 6g.
2. Alcohol
According to the "2018 Global Report on Alcohol and Health Status" previously released by WHO, the incidence of alcoholic fatty liver disease in Chinese residents more than doubled from 2002 to 2013.
Alcohol consumption is a common factor in causing liver cirrhosis, which is a precancerous lesion of liver cancer.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified alcohol as a Category 1 carcinogen, and there is no safe amount of drinking alcohol. Especially when alcohol and tobacco are used in combination, it is more harmful to the human body.
3. Moldy cutting board
Food residues may accumulate on the cutting board that has been used for a long time . In particular, the deeper the crack, the stronger the "accommodating capacity" for microorganisms.
The cutting board is often in a humid and non-ventilated state , so it may breed bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Helicobacter pylori and aflatoxin, and long-term use has health risks.
4. Soot
An experiment was done in CCTV's "Life Tips" program: the experimenter set up an air quality detector in the kitchen, and then cooked vegetables in a poorly ventilated environment.
It was found that the concentration of PM2.5 in the kitchen increased from 19ug/m3 to 380ug/m3, and the concentration of carbon monoxide increased from 5.12mg/m3 to 9.08mg/m3 .
The fumes produced by cooking oil at high temperature may contain more than 200 kinds of harmful substances, which can cause damage to the respiratory system. It has been considered that oil fumes may become a risk factor for lung cancer in non-smoking women.
As a very common condiment in life, oyster sauce is not carcinogenic, but it should be kept refrigerated. The real risk of cancer in the kitchen is high salt, alcohol, moldy cutting boards and oil fumes, you should pay more attention.
References:
[1] "Low sodium is better? Taste exquisite cancer? Garlic prevents cancer? ...I advise you not to eat or store the condiments indiscriminately~". I am a big doctor. 2022-01-06
[2] "Oyster sauce is not a "universal freshness enhancer", will it cause cancer if eaten wrongly? ! After reading it, change it quickly". CCTV Life Circle. 2021-11-10
[3] "Soy Sauce: Blackening, Cancer, Don't Give It to Me". Nutshell.2018-07-31
[4] "Can't eat oyster sauce, otherwise there is a risk of cancer? The doctor finally told the truth! 》.DrX said.2021-11-17
[5] "Beware! Cancer enters from the mouth! The 5 major culprits of cancer on the dining table are...". Popular Science China. 2021-07-25
[6] "Attention! How dangerous is this thing in the kitchen, many people can't think of it! 》.An appointment with a famous doctor.2021-06-12
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