During rush hour, food stalls always pop up near stations and subway exits. Malatang (spicy hot pot), grilled skewers, jianbing (Chinese crepes), egg-filled jianbing, and maodan (unhatched chicken eggs)… Although the hygiene conditions of these items are not ideal, many hungry office workers and students can't resist their temptation. In this issue, we have invited an expert to offer some tips on how to eat safely and healthily from street stalls.
Guideline 1: Don't buy grilled meat that is too bright red.
Grilled skewers, sausages, chicken wings... the wafting aroma of meat is the most tempting. Wang Xingguo, Deputy Secretary-General of the Dalian Nutrition Society, points out that many vendors soak meat in nitrites to preserve it, make the color bright, and improve the texture. However, a large intake of nitrites can cause acute food poisoning, while frequent small intake may pose a cancer risk. Therefore, when eating grilled meat, never buy meat that is exceptionally bright and red. Also, make sure the grilled meat is thoroughly cooked to kill bacteria, and don't be tempted by rare or undercooked meat.
Guideline 2: Eat jianbing without "crispy thin."
Experts point out that besides the "crispy thin," jianbing is a relatively healthy food: the jianbing wrapper and eggs are only heated at a low temperature for a short time, which largely preserves their nutrients. Therefore, to eat jianbing healthily, just skip the "crispy thin."
Guideline 3: Don't seek extra crispiness in egg-filled jianbing.
Egg-filled jianbing, made with flour, eggs, and vegetables, is one of the more nutritious options at street stalls. But many people love a very crispy jianbing. Experts point out that the crispier the jianbing, the more oil it contains. Therefore, it's better not to buy jianbing that is too crispy.
Guideline 4: Choose more vegetables and tofu for malatang.
Malatang offers a variety of foods and can be considered a nutritionally balanced street snack. However, you need to be careful when selecting ingredients. According to a report in the *Jinghua Times*, water-soaked pigskin, tendon, squid, and other items in malatang may be processed with chemical preservatives. Gao Jian, a dietitian from the Nutrition Department of Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated with Fudan University, points out that eating these foods in excess can harm the liver and kidneys. Furthermore, fish balls and meat balls in malatang have very low nutritional value. When eating malatang, it's best to choose more vegetables and tofu. Noodles, eggs, and quail eggs are also good choices.
Guideline 5: Maodan (unhatched chicken eggs) should not be eaten.
Wang Xingguo points out that maodan are dead chick embryos, formed when the development of a chicken embryo stops during incubation due to factors like temperature, humidity, Salmonella infection, or parasitic contamination. The nutritional value of the egg is almost gone in a maodan. Moreover, most maodan have broken shells, making them very susceptible to bacterial infection. Tests have shown that E. coli can be detected in almost all maodan, which can cause digestive tract diseases such as diarrhea and vomiting.
Guideline 6: Don't buy black stinky tofu.
The authentic way to make stinky tofu involves fermenting tofu for a long time, which is nutritious. However, a report in Dalian's *Xin Shang Bao* states that some illegal street vendors use ferrous sulfate for coloring and sodium sulfide for creating the smell to quickly make fake, black, and smelly stinky tofu.