First, the hot pot should be thoroughly cleaned before use. In particular, the patina on a copper hot pot must be removed to prevent copper poisoning, which mainly manifests as symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and shortness of breath.
Second, food must be thoroughly cooked in the boiling broth. Hot pot meals often involve eating raw meat, raw fish, and raw vegetables by swishing them in the broth. These foods can easily be contaminated by pathogenic microorganisms and parasite eggs. Therefore, they must be thoroughly cooked in the boiling broth to achieve a "sterilization and disinfection" effect, thereby preventing or reducing the occurrence of digestive tract inflammation and intestinal parasitic diseases. [China Cuisine]
Third, the temperature of the food should not be too hot. Food just taken from the hot pot should be allowed to cool slightly before eating to avoid scalding the oral and esophageal mucosa, which can lead to ulcers in the mouth and esophagus, or damage to the gums and teeth, causing allergic toothaches.
Fourth, the duration of the hot pot meal should not be too long. Sitting for a long time while eating a hot pot causes continuous secretion of digestive fluids such as gastric juice, bile, and pancreatic juice. The glands do not get adequate rest, which can easily lead to gastrointestinal dysfunction and cause abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Fifth, the hot pot broth is best prepared and used fresh. The broth should not be reused, nor should leftover broth with vegetables be left in the pot overnight and then reheated. Otherwise, the content of nitrite (a potent carcinogen) in the long-cooked broth will increase, which is harmful to health after consumption.