In response to some misconceptions about food disinfection in daily life, experts from the food and drug supervision and administration department have pointed out four common pitfalls to avoid. Pitfall One: Food with a bad smell can be eaten after just being boiled.
This belief is incorrect because some bacteria are resistant to high temperatures. For example, the Clostridium botulinum bacterium, which can damage the human central nervous system, can survive for more than five hours in boiling water at 100°C. Although some bacteria are killed, the toxins they produce while multiplying, or the toxins from the dead bacteria themselves, cannot be completely destroyed by boiling. Therefore, spoiled food will still cause food poisoning even after being steamed or cooked. Pitfall Two: Bacteria are afraid of salt, so cured meats like salted pork and pickled fish do not need to be disinfected.
This is also wrong. Salmonella, which can cause gastroenteritis, can survive in meat with a salt content as high as 10% to 15% for several months. It requires boiling for 30 minutes to be completely killed. Therefore, when consuming cured foods, one should not be complacent and must ensure they are thoroughly disinfected. Pitfall Three: Frozen food has no bacteria.
The number of bacteria is countless and varied; some are resistant to high temperatures and high salt concentrations, while others are specifically adapted to survive and reproduce in low temperatures. For instance, the halophilic bacteria, which can cause severe diarrhea and dehydration in humans, can survive in protein at -20°C for as long as 11 weeks. Therefore, when eating frozen food, one should also be cautious and must cook it thoroughly. Pitfall Four: Boiling food is sufficient to disinfect and kill bacteria.
This statement is only half true. Food poisoning can be divided into two major categories: biological and chemical. Biological poisoning mainly refers to food contaminated by bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms, such as mold in spoiled food. This type of food can be disinfected by high-temperature steaming or cooking, and even if a small amount of toxin remains, it will not cause serious harm. However, chemical poisoning cannot be prevented by high-temperature treatment. In some cases, boiling can even increase the concentration of toxins. For example, toxic nitrites are produced in rotten cabbage, and consuming them can lead to severe poisoning. Furthermore, solanine in sprouted and immature potatoes cannot be neutralized by high temperatures.