In general, food should be eaten while fresh, as the fresher it is, the higher its nutritional value. However, this principle does not apply to all foods. The following fresh foods should be consumed with caution.
Fresh milk.
There have been reports of farmers leading their cows on the street to milk them on the spot, which is quite popular among citizens. However, Jia Jianbin pointed out that this practice is not advisable. Because freshly squeezed milk is bacteria-laden, such as Brucella and tuberculosis bacillus, it can easily cause zoonotic infectious diseases. In addition, this "fresh milk" cannot guarantee the hygiene of the milking environment, the disinfection of containers, or the health of the milkers. Therefore, it is safer for consumers to buy milk from regular manufacturers at the supermarket.
Fresh tea leaves.
So-called new tea refers to tea leaves that have been picked for less than a month, such as the spring tea of the season. Wang Yi told reporters that freshly picked spring tea contains substances with strong activity, such as tannic acid and alkaloids. If consumed in large quantities, it can cause extreme excitement of the human nervous system, leading to accelerated blood circulation and heart rate, making people feel palpitations. Therefore, it should be noted that drinking new tea should not be too strong or excessive. It is best to let it sit for a period of time, until some of the polyphenols in the tea have oxidized, before drinking.
Fresh daylilies.
Jia Jianbin recommends avoiding eating fresh daylilies. Fresh daylilies contain colchicine, which, after being absorbed by the intestines, can be converted into a toxic substance in the body, causing poisoning in the consumer. In contrast, dried daylilies undergo processes such as steaming and sun-drying during production, which can remove most of the colchicine, making them safer. Colchicine is water-soluble, so if you eat fresh daylilies, you must first blanch, boil, or soak them. Dried daylilies should also be soaked before consumption.
Fresh wood ear mushrooms.
Wang Yi pointed out that dried wood ear mushrooms are safer than fresh ones. Because fresh wood ear mushrooms contain a special component called "porphyrin." Porphyrin is a photosensitive substance. After people eat fresh wood ear mushrooms and are exposed to sunlight, it can trigger phytophotodermatitis, causing skin itching, redness, swelling, and pain in exposed areas. Dried wood ear mushrooms are finished products that have been sun-dried. During the sun-drying process, most of the porphyrin is decomposed. Before consumption, they are soaked in water, and the remaining toxins will dissolve in the water, making the rehydrated dried wood ear mushrooms non-toxic. It should be noted that when soaking dried wood ear mushrooms, the water should be changed several times.
Supplementary Reading: What to Do About Food Poisoning
Most food poisoning is acute, such as vomiting and diarrhea, and in severe cases, it can even lead to death. Therefore, once symptoms of food poisoning appear, it is very important to perform appropriate on-site treatment for the patient before medical personnel arrive:
1. Inducing vomiting
This is a very simple but effective method. The method is to gently scratch the deep part of the throat with a clean finger, or you can use chopsticks, a spoon, etc. At the same time, you can drink some salt water, which has the effect of replenishing fluids and washing the stomach. This is especially important if you have mistakenly eaten poisonous mushrooms in the wild, as you should induce vomiting as soon as possible. It should be noted that inducing vomiting is only effective within two hours after eating. If the poisoned person is unconscious, do not induce vomiting to prevent the vomit from blocking the airway.
2. Catharsis
After two hours of eating, the food has already reached the small and large intestines. At this time, inducing vomiting is not effective, so catharsis should be considered. You can take Chinese rhubarb soaked in boiling water, or you can use Glauber's salt, which is anhydrous sodium sulfate. But note that catharsis is for young people with good physical condition. It should be used with caution for children and the elderly to avoid dehydration or electrolyte imbalance.
Vinegar has certain bactericidal and bacteriostatic abilities. It also has a certain preventive and therapeutic effect on diarrhea. Therefore, if you eat expired or spoiled food at home, you can first take it with vinegar mixed with boiling water. Milk or egg white contains protein, which can relieve heavy metal poisoning. But if the situation is serious, seek medical attention promptly.