Putting the 'plastic bag' of vegetables in the refrigerator is not only toxic but also carcinogenic? An experiment reveals the truth

Aunt Liu has always had a habit, that is, if the things bought in the market are packed in plastic bags, she will take out the food and put it in the plastic box before putting it in the refrigerator.

Why is Aunt Liu so frustrating? Can't you just put the plastic bag with the vegetables in the refrigerator together?

It turned out that in the early years, Aunt Liu saw an article on the Internet, which mentioned-"Do you still put the vegetables in the refrigerator together with the plastic bags every time you buy them? In fact, this behavior is in the Slow suicide!

Many people still don’t know that plastic bags contain plasticizers. If you put vegetables and plastic bags together, the plasticizers will migrate to the vegetables. After ingestion, they are not only poisonous but also cause cancer… especially colorful ones. Plastic bags, containing the coloring agent benzopyrene, a class I carcinogen…”

The article is "justified and well-founded", and it fooled Aunt Liu all of a sudden, and did not dare to put vegetables in plastic bags and put them in the refrigerator. Is that really the case?

1. Putting vegetables in plastic bags in the refrigerator is toxic and carcinogenic?

Generally, when we go to the vegetable market or supermarket, we basically use plastic bags for vegetables. Is it really harmful to the human body to put the plastic bags with vegetables directly into the refrigerator?

Let's first understand that the plasticizer, the ingredient in plastic bags (there are many kinds, of which DEHP is the most used), is used because of the needs of plastic processing technology.

Plastics with added plasticizers are more malleable, more flexible , and can "pose" better.

Therefore, plasticizers are allowed to be used in the production of food packaging materials. Of course, it is not used arbitrarily, and the state has strict regulations on its use, residue or migration (no more than 1.5mg/kg) .

Do plasticizers cause cancer?

Although under some conditions DEHP may indeed migrate from plastic products into food and then into the human body. But as we have mentioned above, the country has strict restrictions on the use of plasticizers , and as long as it is a product of qualified quality, it is not enough to pose a threat to human health.

In addition, the Cancer Research Center only listed "DEHP" as a 2B carcinogen, which means that it may cause cancer to humans, but there is insufficient evidence.

If you are still worried, we can look at an experiment conducted by the curiosity column team of the Huashang Daily and the quality inspection of Xi'an League of Nations:

The staff first bought two kinds of special plastic bags for food with different prices and the raw materials were PE polyethylene, and then bought five kinds of vegetables packed in plastic bags , all of which were placed in the refrigerator.

After 1 week of storage, no plasticizer was found in the vegetables .

Source: Huashang Daily Weinan Reporter Station

In this regard, Cao Wei, director of the Department of Food Science and Engineering at Northwestern University, said, "The migration of plasticizers is conditional. Generally, migration occurs in low-quality plastic bags, oily food, and high temperature . Qualified plastic bags usually do not have plasticizer migration , especially if they are placed in the refrigerator at low temperature and stored for a short time, the possibility is less. Therefore, the public need not worry too much.”

2. Will hot food be poisoned in plastic bags?

Since the plastic bag will not migrate to the vegetables after the plastic bag is placed in the refrigerator, is there a risk of poisoning if it is filled with hot food?

At present, the plastic bags used on the market are divided into two types: polyethylene plastic bags and polyvinyl chloride plastic bags, and the country has very strict standards for their materials. For example, the maximum oil resistance temperature of polyethylene can reach 130-140 degrees , while the food temperature is basically Around 60-80 degrees.

Therefore, it will not cause the melting of the polyethylene plastic bag, causing its ingredients to penetrate into the middle of the food, causing risks.

But general food-grade plastic bags are colorless and transparent. If you want to use plastic bags for food, you must choose colorless and transparent ones .

3. Colorful plastic bags contain benzopyrene, which is a cancer risk?

There is a saying that: the coloring agent used in colored plastic bags contains carcinogens - benzopyrene , which may be transferred to food after contact with food, posing a risk of cancer. Is this statement plausible?

Benzopyrene has indeed been listed as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, but it mostly exists in some burning things, such as cigarettes, smoke from burning garbage...

Sometimes it can be brought into our food and packaging materials, but as long as the quality, unburned plastic bags purchased through formal channels are in line with national safety production standards , they will not produce carcinogenic effects.

Extension - the refrigerator is not used correctly, it is equivalent to eating bacteria

Many people think that the refrigerator is a safe and can store everything, but in fact, many diseases are caused by eating stale or contaminated food in the refrigerator. Especially these kinds of foods are not recommended to be put in the refrigerator:

1. Banana

Banana peel contains a large amount of phenolic substances and polyphenol oxidase. After being damaged by low temperature, the epidermal cells are damaged , and these substances will run out from the banana skin and aggregate into melanin, making the banana black.

Although the inner pulp may not be damaged, the black skin can easily make the scalp feel numb and unable to swallow.

2, sweet potato, potato

The humidity in the refrigerator is high, and the water of sweet potatoes and potatoes is not easy to lose. Putting it in the refrigerator at this time will only speed up the speed of softening and mildew. It is recommended to put it in a cool and dry place.

3. Tomatoes

Tomatoes can be divided into two types. One is underripe. This kind of storage at room temperature is fine. If you put them in the refrigerator, the low temperature will stop the ripening process of tomatoes and affect their taste.

The other is ripe, which is best eaten as soon as possible. If you can’t finish it, you must wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator to avoid ethylene (a natural ripening hormone) released by it. affect other fruits and vegetables.

Summary: The purchase and use of quality plastic bags will not pose a threat to health, but from the perspective of environmental protection, it is recommended that you try to choose reusable cloth bags and paper bags for storage to reduce white pollution.

References:

[1] "Never use plastic bags to store vegetables in the refrigerator? Too alarmist | Real life". The whole people are real-Tencent News. 2017-08-17

[2] "Chinese Businessmen's Curiosity | Will vegetables in plastic bags be "poisoned" in the refrigerator? ". China Business Daily Weinan Reporter Station. 2017-08-03

[3] "Is it better to put the food in the refrigerator when it is cold, or to put it while it is hot? What foods are not suitable for the refrigerator? Here comes the answer". Popular Science China. 2021-12-24

Reproduction is prohibited without the author's permission