Doctor: Chopsticks used too long or cancer

Recently, it has been reported that bacteria hidden in small grooves in chopsticks may cause diseases such as diarrhea and gastroenteritis. Therefore, it is recommended that citizens should regularly replace chopsticks for 3 to 6 months. This surprised many people. “With so many years of chopsticks, I don’t know anything about it.” Said Hao Hao, a citizen of the South Second Ring Road shopping center in Xi’an, yesterday morning. Subsequently, a random survey of 20 citizens, 4 of whom said that the replacement of chopsticks within six months due to moving or kitchen renovation. The chopsticks used by the other 16 citizens were all in the period of 1 to 3 years. Especially for families with elderly people, chopsticks are being updated more slowly. "The old man could not bear to throw, no way, every time you come to the guests chopsticks is not enough to add a new one." Citizen Liu said.

In this regard, yesterday Huang Xihui, chief physician of Department of Gastroenterology at Xi'an Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine said that if wooden chopsticks and bamboo chopsticks are used for too long and wood chips are loose, it is easy to breed bacteria. “Chopsticks are washed with water for a long time and the water content is particularly high. Long-term placement of chopsticks in unventilated areas will increase the chance of deterioration of chopsticks.” Huang Yahui said that particularly moldy chopsticks may be contaminated with aflatoxin. It is understood that aflatoxin is a class 1 carcinogen and is a highly toxic and highly toxic substance that can have a damaging effect on human and animal liver tissues. When severe, it can cause liver cancer and even death.

Huang Yahui reminded the public that they should put chopsticks in boiling water for a half-hour each week, then put them in the air and dry them before use. This can achieve the effect of disinfection and can effectively and easily remove the mold from the chopsticks. In addition, it is better to use six months to replace the new chopsticks so that you don't have to worry too much.

"The selection of chopsticks is also very particular." Huang Yahui said that the ideal chopsticks are bamboo chopsticks and unstained wooden chopsticks. The dyed or painted wooden chopsticks, when used, paints and stains will enter the body with the food, especially the heavy metals, benzene and other harmful substances in the dye, can cause gastrointestinal inflammation, ulcers, erosion, severe Carcinogenic.