Be Careful! Adhesive on Food Labels Can Also Be Toxic
“Small labels, big deal.” Toxins in labels can harm consumer health. Experts suggest: fruits and vegetables with labels should be thoroughly washed or peeled before eating; cooked foods should be aired out for a while before consumption. This is because many toxic substances in packaging can volatilize after seeping into the food.
You're the type of person who peels off the fruit label, washes it, and eats it without peeling, right? According to a report by the UK's "Daily Mail," many adhesives used on food packaging labels contain highly toxic chemicals. Therefore, experts suggest: fruits and vegetables with labels should be thoroughly washed or peeled before eating; cooked foods should be aired out for a while before consumption. This is because many toxic substances in packaging can volatilize after seeping into the food.
Three Types of Food Prone to Label Toxins
The labels on the dazzling array of products in supermarkets are often overlooked for safety because they are so familiar. According to a recent report by the UK's "Daily Mail," three types of food are prone to label toxins, as many adhesives used on food packaging labels contain highly toxic chemicals.
Fruits in supermarkets often have labels on their peels, especially imported fruits. Cooked foods, stainless steel tableware, and porcelain bowls are also labeled. Many of the labels on stainless steel tableware are stuck on the inside, and many consumers complain they are difficult to clean. Some consumers even don't clean them at all and use the tableware with the labels still on. Experts say this is not advisable, as toxins from the label could potentially seep out. Even when labels are stuck on fruits like bananas and watermelons, toxins can penetrate the food through the peel.
Experts also pointed out that there are usually three types of food that are easily contaminated by toxins from labels: First, oily foods, as fats can dissolve toxins from packaging materials and adhesives, such as cooked foods in supermarkets. Second, foods served at high temperatures, as toxins from packaging materials and adhesives are more likely to volatilize at high temperatures. Finally, foods that are stored for a long time, as the longer they are stored, the more toxins seep into them.
Standards Gap for Label Adhesives
Currently, there are no relevant national standards for food label adhesives, nor is there any specific department to manage them. Due to the different materials used in adhesives and the complexity of the situation, supervision faces certain difficulties.
At the same time, a reporter called the 12365 hotline of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China. The staff member stated that there are no relevant management regulations and suggested consulting the Ministry of Health. Staff at the Beijing Public Health Hotline 12320 also said there are no relevant regulations, suggesting that for labeled foods like fruits, the skin should be peeled off or the label cleaned off before consumption. The country should introduce relevant standards, and food and printing companies should also increase their monitoring efforts.
Hazards from Labels in Four Aspects
1. Volatilization of substances like benzene and potassium from the solvents into the air;
2. Heavy metal components in the adhesive, such as lead and chromium;
3. The inherent hazards of pigments in some colored adhesives;
4. The hazards of the plastic film used to package the food itself.
Suggestion: Remove Labels Immediately
Professor Dong suggests that consumers should try to buy products without labels. For foods with labels, remove them promptly to prevent harmful substances from seeping into the food over time. For labeled fruits, it is best to peel them. Additionally, before purchasing a product, you can smell it first. If there is a pungent odor, it indicates a high level of residual solvents.
Links
1. Over 80% of adhesives in China use PVC (polyvinyl chloride), while foreign countries generally do not use or ban it, opting for more environmentally friendly or even edible materials instead.
2. Some countries have even abandoned adhesives, using corona treatment to create static electricity for adhesion.
3. Foreign countries have strict regulations on the size and placement of labels. Labels typically contain practical information, such as consumption precautions and corporate information.
Latest Research
A study by the Royal Society of Chemistry in the UK found that these toxins may affect the human internal organ system, with some toxins being carcinogenic, causing infertility, leading to immune system disorders, and nervous system diseases. The report states that current European food safety regulations only emphasize that these toxins must not come into direct contact with food, but they do not prohibit their presence in label adhesives.