In response to misconceptions some people have about food disinfection, experts from the food and drug administration have pointed out four common mistakes to avoid in food disinfection.
Mistake one: Food with a bad smell can be eaten as long as it is boiled.
This is incorrect because some bacteria can withstand high temperatures. For example, the "Clostridium botulinum" bacterium, which can damage the human central nervous system, can survive in boiling water (100°C) for over five hours. Although some bacteria are killed, the toxins they produce during their growth, or the toxins from the dead bacteria themselves, cannot be completely destroyed by boiling. Therefore, spoiled food can still cause food poisoning even after being steamed or cooked.
Mistake two: Bacteria are afraid of salt, so salted meat, cured fish, etc., do not need to be disinfected.
This is also wrong. The "Salmonella" bacterium, which can cause gastroenteritis, can survive in meat with a salt content as high as 10% to 15% for several months. Only boiling it for 30 minutes can kill it all. Therefore, when consuming cured foods, one should not be careless and must ensure they are properly disinfected.
Mistake 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 specialized in surviving and reproducing 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 up to 11 weeks. Therefore, when eating frozen food, one should not be careless and must cook it thoroughly.
Mistake four: As long as food is boiled, it can be disinfected and sterilized.
This statement is only half correct. Food poisoning can be divided into two main categories: biological and chemical. Biological poisoning mainly refers to contamination 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 avoided by high-temperature processing. Sometimes, boiling can even increase the concentration of toxins. For example, toxic nitrites are produced in rotten cabbage, and eating them can lead to severe poisoning. Furthermore, substances like solanine in sprouted and immature potatoes cannot be neutralized by high temperatures to achieve disinfection.