Aflatoxin is the culprit of liver cancer! Is it dangerous to eat the wrong rice? 5 signs to identify food safety
Liver cancer is the second leading cause of death among the top ten cancers. May there be toxins in the diet that damage the liver and induce cancer? In an exclusive interview, Liao You, a pregnancy nutritionist at the Dajia Campus of Guangtian General Hospital, said that if the rice, beans, peanuts, nuts or Chinese medicinal materials commonly eaten by the public are not stored properly, mold can easily breed and produce “aflatoxin”, which can cause liver disease. Poisoning, liver inflammation, and increased possibility of carcinogenesis. In addition, Taiwan has a humid climate, so food preservation should be done with extreme caution.
Is aflatoxin related to liver cancer? Which foods are most likely to breed?
Nutritionist Liao Youzheng explained that aflatoxin is a kind of mycotoxin, which is a product of fungal metabolism and has clear hepatotoxicity. Acute poisoning can cause acute liver inflammation and liver cell necrosis. Chronic poisoning can easily cause cirrhosis and even liver cirrhosis. Lead to increased risk of liver cancer.
Aflatoxin easily breeds in “high carbohydrate” cereals or dry beans and nuts. Cereals such as white rice, barley, wheat, lotus seeds or corn, dry beans such as soybeans, mung beans, red beans, nuts such as peanuts and Its products and certain Chinese medicinal materials also have certain risks. Among them, peanuts are a common food that is easily contaminated by aflatoxin during random inspections.
Don’t buy rice if you find 5 conditions! Can you still eat food that is partially moldy?
Pregnancy nutritionist Liao You said that aflatoxin reproduces rapidly in an environment of 20-30°C. In addition, Taiwan’s summer is humid and hot, which can easily cause mold and fungi to multiply. The toxin is most likely to appear at this time. If you find that the white rice has deteriorated, changed color, turned black, chipped or damaged, these are signs of poor quality. It is recommended that when choosing white rice, you should choose rice that has a vacuum-packed appearance or has been refrigerated to avoid concerns about potential toxins.
Pregnancy nutritionist Liao You reminds you that Taiwan’s summers are hot and humid, and most grain and rice shops are open spaces. Cereals are stored at room temperature for a long time. The environmental conditions are suitable for the growth of aflatoxin, so the public must pay special attention to it. After purchase, it should be properly stored in an appropriate space to avoid increasing the risk of toxin breeding.
In addition, some people think that the non-mold parts of the food can still be eaten. Pregnancy nutritionist Liao You clarified that if the food is stored in the same package, even if part of the food is not moldy, there may still be trace amounts of mycelium attached to it that cannot be seen by the naked eye. Therefore, if food in the same package is found to be moldy or contaminated, it should be discarded immediately and should not be eaten again.
How to store food to avoid toxins? Nutritionists teach 3 tips to keep food safe
Generally speaking, pregnancy nutritionist Liao You recommends that you should pay special attention to the following three points when choosing whole grains to avoid food safety concerns such as aflatoxin poisoning:
Choose those with complete and dry outer packaging. Aflatoxins are “aerobic bacteria” and require oxygen to survive. It is recommended to choose vacuum packaging to reduce the risk of their growth. Remember when choosing dry food, make sure the outer packaging is intact and undamaged and have a high degree of dryness. Avoid buying damp food.
The appearance of the food is intact and intact. Try to choose cereals, dried beans and nuts with complete shapes. If the color of rice grains and beans changes, or is missing or damaged, there may be a risk of poisoning and it is not recommended to buy them.
Pay attention to the storage environment temperature. In hypermarkets or supermarkets, try to choose refrigerated goods as they are less likely to breed mold. After opening at home, you should immediately refrigerate it in the refrigerator. It is less susceptible to contamination than storage buckets or rice buckets left at room temperature.
Pregnancy nutritionist Liao You emphasizes that once there are signs of aflatoxin poisoning, such as fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, cramps, coma, liver failure, etc., you should seek medical attention immediately and receive correct treatment as soon as possible to avoid damage to liver function or even premature decline, resulting in The risk of cancer is doubled.
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