Many people in Taiwan love drinking pearl milk tea, but the Taiwan Consumers' Foundation announced test results for commercially sold pearl milk teas, finding that 45% of them were found to contain trans fatty acids that are harmful to human health; at the same time, 80% of the samples were found to contain sorbic acid preservatives, and if eaten with sausage, it may also cause cancer.
According to a report by "BCC News," pearl milk tea can be said to be an important drink representing Taiwan, but in order to protect the health rights and interests of consumers, the Taiwan Consumers' Foundation announced tests on commercially sold pearl milk teas. It was found that in terms of saturated fatty acids and trans fats, which are more related to the risk of cardiovascular diseases, 20 samples had saturated fatty acids between 0.1 and 4 grams per 100 grams of sample; excessive intake can raise low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the body, which in turn accumulates on the blood vessel walls, increasing the chance of developing cardiovascular diseases.
In this test, 45% of the samples were found to contain trans fatty acids. The Taiwan Consumers' Foundation stated that the milky flavor of most milk teas comes from non-dairy creamer, which is mostly made from the hydrogenation of vegetable oil and does not contain milk ingredients, and may produce trans fatty acids that are harmful to human health.
In addition, 80% of all samples were found to contain preservatives. The Taiwan Consumers' Foundation stated that pearl milk teas with the preservative "sorbic acid," if eaten with "sausage" containing nitrites, may lead to chromosomal mutations and pose a cancer risk. The Taiwan Consumers' Foundation also reminded consumers not to over-consume sugary drinks, otherwise, not only may they lead to obesity and cavities, but excessive artificial chemicals will also increase the burden on the liver and kidneys, which must be taken with caution.