Mirumirumiruna's blog

Hi everyone, I am Mirumirumiruna. I will share the latest food safetyknowledge with you every week!

[mirumirumiruna]

How to use the microplate

1. Add sample: add the sample diluent to the coating plate, dilute the serum to be tested with PBS or physiological saline at a ratio of 1:20, then add 10ul to the reaction well of the ELISA plate.

2. Add control: add 3 wells of negative control, 1 well of positive control, and 100ul of control serum.

3. Incubate: shake the reaction plate to mix the sample thoroughly, and place it in a 37°C incubator or water bath for 20 minutes.

4. Wash the plate: Dilute 15ml of the washing solution to a volume of 300ml with distilled water. When washing by hand, you should pour out the contents of the wells of the reaction plate, fill the position of the wells with the washing solution, and then leave it for 30 seconds before shaking it off vigorously. Repeat this action 5 times and then begin to pat dry. Machine washing needs to be carried out 5 times. Each hole is filled with 200ul of washing liquid or can be filled up, and then it is absorbed for 30 seconds and then patted dry.

5. Add enzyme-labeled working solution: add 100ul of enzyme-labeled working solution to each well, place it in a 37°C incubator, and wash the plate 5 times after 20 minutes of reaction. The washing operation is the same as step 4 above.

6. This is the last step of the reaction, which is the color development and termination of the reaction: add 50ul of the substrate to the reaction well, and keep it from light for 10 minutes at 37°C. Add 50ul of stop solution to each well and mix well to stop the reaction.

The use of the ELISA plate needs to be carried out under sterile conditions. Disinfection and cleaning must be done carefully before and after use of the microtiter plate, but it should be noted that some microtiter plates need to be carefully read the instructions before disinfection to see if high temperature sterilization is possible.

[mirumirumiruna]

Can breakfast milk be substituted for breakfast?

The answer is no.

In terms of the nutritional content of breakfast milk, the nutritional content of breakfast milk is generally lower than that of ordinary milk, because breakfast milk contains water, sugar and other ingredients; but in terms of nutritional balance, breakfast milk contains protein, fat and sugar The nutrient ingredients such as the kind are more in line with the requirements of balanced and nutritious breakfast. Therefore, if the breakfast time is urgent and you don't want to be hungry in the morning, breakfast milk can still be used as an occasional substitute for breakfast instead of being used for a long time.

The nutritional value of breakfast milk

The white sugar and grains added in breakfast milk can be broken down into glucose to provide energy for the brain and improve work efficiency; the added nut ingredients can provide the human body with some essential unsaturated fatty acids. Many breakfast milks will also fortify the content of vitamins. Take a 250 ml oatmeal breakfast milk of a certain brand as an example. The fortified vitamin D can better promote the absorption of calcium. Drinking a pack of this breakfast milk can satisfy adults. One day's vitamin D needs; the fortified vitamin E and vitamin B2 also reach 25% of the recommended daily intake of adults. Some breakfast milk will also fortify minerals such as iron and zinc, which will help the body to supplement nutrition to a certain extent.

How to choose breakfast milk

As there are more and more types of breakfast milk on the market, some milk beverages have also been named "breakfast milk", but their nutritional content is completely different from real breakfast milk, just a simple milk-flavored beverage. So when choosing breakfast milk, you need to pay attention to avoid choosing similar products.

Breakfast milk is suitable for drinking in the morning when you are in a hurry to go out and have no time for a good breakfast. If you have enough time for breakfast, of course you should choose pure milk with other foods for breakfast. Therefore, the key to choosing breakfast milk or pure milk depends on the purpose of choosing milk.

Can breakfast milk replace milk

No, first of all, the ingredients for breakfast milk and pure milk are different. There are only three words on the ingredient list of pure milk: fresh milk. The ingredients for breakfast milk are more complicated---milk, water, sugar, malt extract, peanuts, egg powder, oats, etc., as well as stabilizers, iron fortifiers, zinc fortifiers, and possibly flavors.

Looking at their nutritional content, there are also subtle differences. The protein content of pure milk is 2.9%～3.1%, and the “fine product” can reach 3.3%～3.5%; breakfast milk is more than 2.3%. Obviously, after adding sugar, the protein content decreased slightly. But because other ingredients such as eggs, wheat, and peanuts also contain a certain amount of protein, the overall reduction is not much.

[mirumirumiruna]

Shandong has developed a new coronavirus detection kit for colloidal gold method and immunochromatography method

IgM mainly exists in the blood of organisms and plays a major role in preventing bacteremia. Therefore, the determination of IgM antibodies has high clinical diagnostic value for certain infectious diseases. IgM accounts for 5% to 10% of the total serum immunoglobulin, and the serum concentration is about 1 mg/ml. Monomer IgM is expressed on the surface of B cells in a membrane-bound form and constitutes a B cell antigen receptor. Igm is the earliest antibody that appears in the initial humoral immune response and is the forerunner of the body's anti-infection. IgM detected in the serum indicates the recent occurrence of infection and can be used for early diagnosis of infection.

Professor Wang Chuanxin of the Second Hospital of Shandong University, together with Shandong Normal University and Weifang Kanghua Biotechnology Co., Ltd. established a joint R&D team to develop a new coronavirus (2019-nCoV) IgM antibody detection kit (colloidal gold method and immunochromatographic method). Results will be available within 3 minutes at the fastest.

Colloidal Gold Method

Under the action of reducing agents such as white phosphorus, ascorbic acid, sodium citrate, tannic acid, chloroauric acid (HAuCl4) can polymerize into gold particles of a certain size, and become a stable colloidal state due to static electricity, forming a negative charge Hydrophobic glue solution of phosphate becomes a stable colloidal state due to static electricity, so it is called colloidal gold. Colloidal gold is also an ideal immunological marker in immunoelectron microscopy.

The basic principle of immune colloidal gold technology:

Colloidal gold is negatively charged in a weak alkaline environment and can form a firm bond with the positively charged groups of protein molecules. Since this bond is electrostatic, it does not affect the biological properties of the protein. In addition to binding to proteins, colloidal gold can also bind to many other biological macromolecules, such as SPA, PHA, ConA, etc. Coupled with the immune and biological properties of the conjugate, colloidal gold is widely used in immunology, histology, pathology and cell biology. The reduction method can be used to conveniently prepare colloidal gold particles of various sizes, that is, different colors, from chloroauric acid. This spherical particle has a strong adsorption function for protein, and can bind non-covalently with Staphylococcus A protein, immunoglobulin, toxin, glycoprotein, enzyme, antibiotic, hormone, bovine serum albumin polypeptide conjugate, etc. Therefore, it becomes a very useful tool in basic research and clinical experiments.

Commonly used immune colloidal gold detection technology:

1. Immunocolloidal gold microscope staining method

2. Immunogold electron microscope staining method

3. Use a microporous filter membrane (such as a membrane) as a carrier, first spot the antigen or antibody on the membrane, add the sample to be tested after sealing, and then use the colloidal gold-labeled antibody to detect the corresponding antigen or antibody.

4. Colloidal gold immunochromatography

Immunochromatography

It is a new type of immunoassay method that appeared in the early 1980s. It is a simple and rapid immunological detection technology established on the basis of immunofiltration. The specific antibody is first fixed on a certain zone of the nitrocellulose membrane. When one end of the dried nitrocellulose is immersed in the sample (urine or serum), the sample will move forward along the membrane due to capillary action. When moving to the area where the antibody is immobilized, the corresponding antigen in the sample specifically binds to the antibody. If the area is stained with immunogold or immunoenzyme, the area can show a certain color, thereby realizing specific immunodiagnosis.

[mirumirumiruna]

How to make fake milk powder?

"Online 90-140 yuan can be used to wholesale any brand of milk powder, and empty milk powder cans can be customized for 4-5 yuan. The industry chain of milk powder fraud has been formed", from the second issue of 2015 China Anti-Counterfeiting Report. According to media reports, domestic milk powder counterfeiting has emerged as a group and professional operation trend. The persons involved in the case are skilled in procurement, packaging, counterfeiting documents, customs declaration and other links, and they are responsible for full-time, even cheating professional milk powder distributors.

What are the main methods of making fake milk powder?

1. Purchase small domestic brands of infant formula milk powder, canned them at domestic or foreign dens, and sold them at different prices.

2. Purchasing large packages of milk powder and goat milk powder raw materials from domestic or foreign countries at low prices, distributing them into small cans, affixing fake milk powder brand labels and selling them at high prices.

3. The "synthetic milk powder" formulated with a variety of raw materials is formulated with relatively inexpensive flour, dextrin, soy protein, urea, starch, rice flour, glucose, and even melamine in a certain proportion. Because its appearance and taste are very similar to real milk powder, it is difficult for ordinary consumers to distinguish it.

4. Purchase expired milk powder at a very low price, then sell it at a high price after affixing a fake milk powder brand label. Explanation: Due to the huge price difference, the illegal profit-making method of fake milk powder cannot be eliminated in the short term. For consumers, it is not only necessary to keep their eyes open, but also to be vigilant.

Tips: Empty milk powder cans can be damaged or reused

Insiders told reporters that most imported brands of milk powder have very advanced sealing technology on the can mouth, including a design to prevent secondary use. Even if the offender wants to fake it, the cost must be very high. The recycled milk powder cans in some brick-and-mortar stores are actually promotional methods formulated by the regional market specialists of dairy companies, and the essence is indirect price changes. In addition to effectively promoting terminal sales, recycled milk powder cans can also be distributed to many physical stores for display. The cost of empty cans is low and you are not afraid of being stolen.

[mirumirumiruna]

How to distinguish between genuine and fake milk powder

Milk powder is a powder made by removing water from milk, and it is suitable for storage. According to Italian Marco Polo’s travel notes, the Mongolian cavalry of the Yuan Dynasty of China once carried a kind of milk powder food, which was ingeniously dried by Mongolian general Huiyuan to make a powdered milk powder that is easy to carry. As a munitions material. China is the earliest country inventing milk powder. Huiyuan is the world's earliest milk powder brand. At present, many mothers choose to purchase milk powder from local supermarkets directly from abroad.

There are so many different kinds of milk powder now. Nestlé, Mead Johnson, Meso, Cowpen, Edison, they are as many as cow's hair. It was revealed that a well-known milk powder contains melamine, bugs were found in a certain well-known milk powder, and some milk powder can really be fake. , I believe that many parents have doubts about milk powder. How do you distinguish between genuine and fake milk powder?

Method 1. Look at the color: the real milk powder is natural milky yellow, the fake milk powder has crystals and luster, or it is bleached white.

2. Smell: The real milk powder has the unique milk fragrance of milk, while the fake milk powder has little or no fragrance.

3. Test the feel: Use your fingers to pinch the milk powder packaging bag and rub it back and forth, the real milk powder makes a "squeak" sound; while the fake milk powder is mixed with soft sugar, glucose and other ingredients, the particles are relatively coarse, it will make a "sandy" flowing sound.

4. Taste the taste: put a little milk powder into your mouth to taste, the real milk powder feels fine and sticky, easy to stick to the teeth and tongue, and there is no sweetness of sugar. The fake milk powder dissolves quickly in the mouth, does not stick to the teeth, and has a strong sweetness.

5. Look at the dissolution: put the milk powder into the cup, the faster the dissolution rate, the worse. When flushed with hot water, the real milk powder forms a suspended matter and floats up, and it feels very sticky at first. The fake milk powder will dissolve quickly when put into the cup, and it does not have the flavor and special color that milk should have.

6. Know the characteristics of fake milk powder: some fake milk powder is mixed with a small amount of milk powder mixed with sugar, chrysanthemum extract and fried noodles. The most obvious feature is that it is crystalline, dull, white or other unnatural colors, powder particles It is coarse, dissolves quickly, and can dissolve or precipitate quickly even in cold water without stirring.

7. Outer packaging: to see whether the milk powder is within the shelf life, the outer packaging should be clean and undamaged, the food label specification, the text should be clear, the characters should meet the requirements, not to be confused by the product name, and there is no need to worship products with foreign labels. Check the packaging of the milk powder to see if there is any leakage.

[mirumirumiruna]

Milk and antibiotics cannot be taken together!

       A study published in the American Journal of Geriatrics showed that up to 81% of people aged 57 to 85 take at least one prescription drug. Some foods and beverages can affect the onset of the drug or increase the side effects of the drug and should be avoided. Recently, the U.S. "Retirees Association Network" invited Bola Oyebo, an expert in gerontology in San Antonio, and Birkin Rosti, an assistant professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Greenboro, to summarize some food and drug combinations that need attention.　　

　　 Banana and Puri type antihypertensive drugs. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors such as captopril and enalapril are commonly used antihypertensive drugs. These drugs can also increase the amount of potassium in the body. When potassium levels are too high, it can cause irregular heartbeats and cause palpitations and other symptoms. It is recommended to eat less high-potassium foods (such as bananas) and high-potassium salts while taking this medicine.　　

　　Milk and antibiotics. Milk will be combined with tetracycline and quinolone (floxacin) antibiotics, and iron-containing drugs, affecting its absorption. It is recommended to drink milk 2 hours after taking this medicine.　　

　　 Grapefruit and statin lipid-lowering drugs. The common side effects of statin drugs (such as atorvastatin and simvastatin) include muscle pain. Grapefruit and grapefruit juice can increase their side effects. It is recommended to avoid eating grapefruit and drinking grapefruit juice while taking these drugs.

　　 Paracetamol and alcohol. Acetaminophen (paracetamol) has a relieving effect on muscle pain, etc., and can also treat colds and fever, but long-term large amounts may cause liver damage. Alcohol can increase the liver damage effect of paracetamol. If you drink 3 or more alcoholic beverages a day, the chance of liver damage will be higher.

　　 Green leafy vegetables and warfarin. Warfarin achieves anticoagulant effects by blocking the liver's production of vitamin K. Green leafy vegetables are rich in vitamin K. If the intake suddenly increases or decreases, it will disturb the level of vitamin K in the body and affect the anticoagulant effect. It is recommended to ensure the number and total amount of green leafy vegetables every week.　　

　　 However, experts reminded that certain foods can help the medicine to work, so you can eat more appropriately. For example, anticonvulsants such as phenytoin sodium are not only suitable for patients with epilepsy, but also for patients with brain damage (such as stroke). This type of medicine will limit the body's absorption of vitamin D and calcium. During the period of taking it, you should spend more time in the sun, eat more dairy products, and consult your doctor if you need to take nutritional supplements. During the period of taking griseofulvin and other antifungal drugs, you can eat more greasy food to facilitate full absorption by the body.

[mirumirumiruna]

What are probiotics?

The World Health Organization (WHO) 2001 defined probiotics as living microorganisms, "probiotics as live micro-organisms that, "...when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host."). According to historical records, the earliest probiotics consumed by humans came from yogurt.

Why are probiotics "good" for the human body?

First of all, we need to know that the human body contains trillions of microorganisms (including intestines, mouth, nasal cavity, etc.), mainly bacteria, collectively referred to as your microbiota. The vast majority of human bacteria exist in the intestine, and this complex community of microorganisms in the intestine is also called intestinal flora. Some types of bacteria are considered harmful, while others are beneficial, but the ideal state is that these bacteria can coexist in mutual balance. But for various reasons, this balance is disturbed and broken, resulting in too many "bad" bacteria, which can lead to diarrhea or other health problems.

We also know that certain diseases can disrupt the balance of intestinal bacteria. So taking antibiotics can eliminate good bacteria and bad bacteria. The body usually restores this balance over time. But research shows that taking probiotics can sometimes help speed up this process, can help balance your "good" and "bad" bacteria, keep your body functioning normally, and can prevent or relieve certain symptoms.

[mirumirumiruna]

Antibiotic abuse is terrible! What are antibiotics?

The biggest harm of the abuse of antibiotics is that human beings are ultimately hopeless and breed "super bacteria"! Antibiotics are a double-edged sword. If you use it, you are stabbing yourself!

The harm of antibiotic abuse

1. Bacterial resistance-no medicine is available

Antibiotics are originally small experts at destroying bacteria, but in the process of killing or inhibiting bacteria, they have been "resisting". In order to survive, the bacteria have changed their nature and state under constant struggle with drugs to maintain their lives, leading to bacterial resistance. If misuse continues, the human death toll may exceed 10 million in 2050.

2. "Blow up" the intestines-recovery in several years

While taking antibiotics, the intestinal flora is not immune, whether it is beneficial bacteria or harmful bacteria. Every time an antibiotic is used, it is equivalent to throwing a "bomb" in the intestine. It can cause great damage to the intestinal flora, and it may even take years to recover.

3. Destroy immunity-more likely to get sick

More than 80% of the human body's immune function is built on the balance of probiotics in the intestine. Starting from the baby, the intestinal flora will gradually play a role, and the immune function will also be activated.

The abuse of antibiotics seriously affects the balance of intestinal flora, destroys a large number of probiotics, and affects the human immune system. The beneficial bacteria are not only the guards of defense, but also the helper to remove heavy metals from the body. Once bad bacteria take advantage, leaks in the intestinal wall and bacteria and allergens can invade the blood, which will make the weakened immune system more responsible. .

4. Adverse reactions-three points of drug toxicity

Antibiotic itself is a kind of medicine, unreasonable use can easily cause adverse reactions. For example, children who have used gentamicin or amikacin may have deafness. Adults may have kidney problems. There is also tetracycline in erythromycin. Excessive use can cause liver damage, and children's use can affect the development of teeth and bones.

5. Affect the brain-memory deterioration

According to research conducted by the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in Germany, broad-spectrum antibiotics slow down the development of cells in the hippocampus of the mouse brain. The hippocampus is mainly responsible for memory and learning, and short-term memories in daily life are stored in the hippocampus. The mice in the experiment performed poorly on memory tests and had fewer white blood cells in their bodies.

[mirumirumiruna]

Qingdao restaurant owner sentenced to 6 months in prison for making mutton soup with poppy shells

On April 3, the Procuratorate of the Southern District of Qingdao announced a drug case involving a small restaurant soup. Xiao Liu (pseudonym) is a community drug rehabilitation worker. One day, as usual, he went to the police station for a urine test as usual. The police told Xiao Liu that his urine test was positive for morphine and asked him if he was taking drugs. Xiao Liu immediately said that he was not taking drugs,  he only drank a bowl of mutton soup at the restaurant at noon. After testing, the morphine component detected in Xiao Liu's urine test really came from this bowl of mutton soup.

On March 25, 2019, the Shinan District Procuratorate adopted the procedure of pleading guilty and punishing to prosecute Zhang, the defendant suspected of the crime of producing and selling toxic and harmful food.

Defendant Zhang is the operator of a restaurant in Shinan District, Qingdao. He heard that adding poppy shells in the mutton soup will taste better. In order to attract customers to increase sales, since February 28, 2019,  the poppy husks obtained from others were put into the boiled mutton soup base, which was then made into mutton soup and sold to customers. The sales profit was more than 1,400 yuan, which was later seized. After Zhang arrived at the case, he voluntarily confessed his crimes truthfully. It was identified that the mutton soup contained 136μg/kg of morphine.

After accepting the case, the prosecutor reviewed the case and found that the facts of the case were clear, the evidence was indeed sufficient, and the suspect truthfully confessed his crime and pleaded guilty. The prosecutor decided to apply the leniency system in this case. Combining with the situation that Zhang is the only minor's supporter, he filed a six-month imprisonment sentence for defendant Zhang with a one-year probation and a fine of 2,000 yuan to the Shinan District Court in accordance with the law. He is prohibited from food production within the probation period. 

The Shinan District Court fully adopted the sentencing recommendations of the Shinan District Procuratorate and sentenced Zhang to six months’ imprisonment and one year’s suspended sentence. A fine of two thousand yuan was also imposed, and food production and sales activities were prohibited during the probation period.

See more.

[mirumirumiruna]

Consumption of seafood is not a substitute for iodine

There is a general iodine deficiency among pregnant women in Zhejiang Province. This is related to the lack of a correct understanding of iodized salt among pregnant women, who believe that eating seafood in coastal areas can replace iodized salt instead of consuming iodized salt. The research results clearly pointed out that even if pregnant women in coastal areas eat seafood and iodized salt every day, they still cannot meet the body's demand for iodine.

Lou Xiaoming, deputy director of the Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that this research has broken the traditional perception that “residents in coastal areas cannot be more iodine-deficient than inland areas” and will not only help to effectively implement scientific and precise iodine supplementation. Prevention and control strategies are also of great significance for guiding women of childbearing age in Zhejiang to maintain adequate iodine nutrition, and at the same time provide scientific evidence for the government to implement a universal iodized salt policy.

According to experts, iodine is an essential trace element for the human body and an essential raw material for the synthesis of thyroid hormones. It plays an extremely important role in maintaining the health of the body. Insufficient iodine intake will cause iodine deficiency diseases, including endemic goiter, endemic cretinism, endemic subclinical cretinism, and abortion, premature delivery, stillbirth, and congenital malformations caused by iodine deficiency.

Zhejiang Province is an iodine-deficient area. Daily monitoring by the Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that the iodine nutritional level of special populations such as pregnant women is significantly lower than the national standard, and there is a risk of iodine deficiency. Due to their special physiological conditions, pregnant women require higher iodine than normal adults. According to the recommended dietary iodine intake of Chinese residents, pregnant women generally need to supplement 230 micrograms per day. If a pregnant woman is in a state of iodine deficiency, it can lead to pathological changes in the pregnant woman’s thyroid, with goiter or a drop in thyroid hormone levels, which is an important risk factor affecting fetal brain development. Therefore, an adequate supply of iodine during pregnancy is crucial.

See more

[mirumirumiruna]

Is it safe to eat foods containing food additives?

In fact, each of us eats 6-7 kilograms of food additives every year on average. Even if you eat a lot of different kinds of foods a day, don't worry about excessive intake of food additives. Additives are allowed to be added to food, but there are many restrictions when using them, and the use of additives must meet certain technical conditions.

1. Chinese people eat the most additives?

Answer: The consistent trend around the world is that the intake of food additives in developed countries and regions is higher than that in non-developed countries and regions. The reason lies in the high degree of industrialization of food and a large proportion of it in the diet. China is the country with the largest output of food additives in the world, and it may not be one of them, but a considerable part of it is exported to European and American markets.

2. Is it safe to eat food containing food additives?

Answer: The current food safety level is many times higher than before. The real problem of food safety is food-borne diseases caused by bacterial contamination, followed by pollutants such as pesticide residues, animal residues, and heavy metals. No country treats food additives as  the main issue of food safety.

The synthetic food additives currently approved for use in my country have been approved for use in more than two developed countries. Therefore, as long as the food additives are used in strict accordance with the variety and dosage prescribed by the state, the safety is guaranteed.

3. So why are many food safety incidents linked to food additives?

Answer: This is mainly because some illegal businesses use "illegal additives". Melamine, Sudan red, scallop, industrial gelatin, etc. are all non-edible substances, not food additives approved by the state. Both China and other countries prohibit the addition of these substances to food.

In addition, using food additives to cover up food spoilage or quality defects, over-range and excessive use of food additives, and the use of food additives that have not been approved by my country are all illegal use of food additives and are expressly prohibited by the state. The rational use of food additives will not cause these problems.

4. Is the food with food additives necessarily bad?

Answer: The benzoic acid in red dates and the sorbic acid in wolfberry are the main components of preservatives. Even the nitrogen and carbon dioxide in the air are also food additives. In fact, we can't hide. Many of the use of food additives are derived from "process necessity", for example, because of the addition of preservatives, to avoid a lot of food spoilage; because of the addition of nutritional fortifiers, to avoid malnutrition, etc.

My country has formulated strict and detailed standards for the scope and dosage of various food additives. Food additives permitted to be used in accordance with regulations have undergone a full range of scientific and strict safety tests and evaluations. Therefore, as long as it is used in accordance with the standard, food additives will not cause health hazards.

5. Should I choose "no additives" when buying food?

Answer: Any commercial gimmick that advertises "no additions" is far greater than the actual health significance. Some do not need to be added at all. For example, it can be said that water is "0 carbon water, 0 calories, 0 sugar, 0 caffeine, no coloring, no fragrance, no additives, no gluten, no GMO, no thickener, no Emulsifier, no acidity regulator, no coagulant, no antioxidant...".

Some are replaced by other substances. For example, yogurt can have "pure natural, no high fructose syrup, no aspartame, no sucralose, no stevia, no gelatin, no artificial colors, no preservatives." Because the nectar is added, there is no need to increase the fructose syrup; the pectin is added, so there is no need to add gelatin; the white yogurt does not need to be pigmented; other microorganisms in the yogurt basically cannot grow and do not need preservatives; add so much Nectar, so no need to add sweeteners.

6. Food additives are only available in modern times. Didn't our grandfathers eat them before?

Answer: The history of human use of food additives is very long, and it is not unique to modern times. It is just that there was no unified name before. Now there is more standardized management of food additives. The tofu that grandpas ate also had additive, but it was called brine back then, now it is called a coagulant; then the noodles used to make steamed buns are now called acidity regulators or leavening agents.

It is these most common food additives that meet the needs of anti-corrosion, preservation, improvement of food properties and flavor during food processing and transportation and storage, and bring convenience to life.

[mirumirumiruna]

Is it safe to eat foods containing food additives?

In fact, each of us eats 6-7 kilograms of food additives every year on average. Even if you eat a lot of different kinds of foods a day, don't worry about excessive intake of food additives. Additives are allowed to be added to food, but there are many restrictions when using them, and the use of additives must meet certain technical conditions.

1. Chinese people eat the most additives?

Answer: The consistent trend around the world is that the intake of food additives in developed countries and regions is higher than that in non-developed countries and regions. The reason lies in the high degree of industrialization of food and a large proportion of it in the diet. China is the country with the largest output of food additives in the world, and it may not be one of them, but a considerable part of it is exported to European and American markets.

2. Is it safe to eat food containing food additives?

Answer: The current food safety level is many times higher than before. The real problem of food safety is food-borne diseases caused by bacterial contamination, followed by pollutants such as pesticide residues, animal residues, and heavy metals. No country treats food additives as  the main issue of food safety.

The synthetic food additives currently approved for use in my country have been approved for use in more than two developed countries. Therefore, as long as the food additives are used in strict accordance with the variety and dosage prescribed by the state, the safety is guaranteed.

3. So why are many food safety incidents linked to food additives?

Answer: This is mainly because some illegal businesses use "illegal additives". Melamine, Sudan red, scallop, industrial gelatin, etc. are all non-edible substances, not food additives approved by the state. Both China and other countries prohibit the addition of these substances to food.

In addition, using food additives to cover up food spoilage or quality defects, over-range and excessive use of food additives, and the use of food additives that have not been approved by my country are all illegal use of food additives and are expressly prohibited by the state. The rational use of food additives will not cause these problems.

4. Is the food with food additives necessarily bad?

Answer: The benzoic acid in red dates and the sorbic acid in wolfberry are the main components of preservatives. Even the nitrogen and carbon dioxide in the air are also food additives. In fact, we can't hide. Many of the use of food additives are derived from "process necessity", for example, because of the addition of preservatives, to avoid a lot of food spoilage; because of the addition of nutritional fortifiers, to avoid malnutrition, etc.

My country has formulated strict and detailed standards for the scope and dosage of various food additives. Food additives permitted to be used in accordance with regulations have undergone a full range of scientific and strict safety tests and evaluations. Therefore, as long as it is used in accordance with the standard, food additives will not cause health hazards.

5. Should I choose "no additives" when buying food?

Answer: Any commercial gimmick that advertises "no additions" is far greater than the actual health significance. Some do not need to be added at all. For example, it can be said that water is "0 carbon water, 0 calories, 0 sugar, 0 caffeine, no coloring, no fragrance, no additives, no gluten, no GMO, no thickener, no Emulsifier, no acidity regulator, no coagulant, no antioxidant...".

Some are replaced by other substances. For example, yogurt can have "pure natural, no high fructose syrup, no aspartame, no sucralose, no stevia, no gelatin, no artificial colors, no preservatives." Because the nectar is added, there is no need to increase the fructose syrup; the pectin is added, so there is no need to add gelatin; the white yogurt does not need to be pigmented; other microorganisms in the yogurt basically cannot grow and do not need preservatives; add so much Nectar, so no need to add sweeteners.

6. Food additives are only available in modern times. Didn't our grandfathers eat them before?

Answer: The history of human use of food additives is very long, and it is not unique to modern times. It is just that there was no unified name before. Now there is more standardized management of food additives. The tofu that grandpas ate also had additive, but it was called brine back then, now it is called a coagulant; then the noodles used to make steamed buns are now called acidity regulators or leavening agents.

It is these most common food additives that meet the needs of anti-corrosion, preservation, improvement of food properties and flavor during food processing and transportation and storage, and bring convenience to life.

[mirumirumiruna]

The safety of infant formula milk powder needs stricter regulations

The operator was sentenced to 10 times the compensation for the excessive addition of nutritional supplements to the Meisojiaer milk powder.

On November 6, 2016, consumer Tian Changjiang bought 16 cans of "Miso Jiaer Gold Mother Milk Powder (modified milk powder)" at Wumei Jingliang Road Store, the price totaling 3152 yuan. The nutrient composition table on the outer packaging of the involved commodity showed that the dietary fiber (calculated as oligofructose) was 7.5g/100g, and the ingredient list indicated inulin (7.5g/100g).

The People’s Court of Daxing District, Beijing, the court of first instance found that the use of oligofructose in foods for infants and young children and formulating milk powder should comply with the "Standards for the Use of Food Nutrition Enhancers" (GB14880-2012) which stated that the use of oligofructose ≤64.5g/kg; and the content of oligofructose contained in the goods involved reached 7.5g/100g, which exceeded the edible requirements stipulated in the "Standards for the Use of Food Nutrition Enhancers" , the goods involved did not meet food safety standards. Wumart’s Jingliang Road store still sells foods that are known to be inconsistent with food safety standards. Consumers should be paid in accordance with the provisions of Article 148, paragraph 2, of the Food Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China. Ten times the compensation.

Wumart Jingliang Road refused to accept the judgment of the first instance and appealed to the Second Intermediate People's Court of Beijing.

In the second instance, Wumart Jingliang Road Store appealed that the ingredients used in the goods involved contained oligofructose, and the oligofructose content of the goods involved did not exceed the limit of ≤64.5g/kg. Therefore, the label of the goods involved was consistent with the labeling of oligofructose. Food safety standards stipulate, but sufficient evidence was not provided to prove it. The Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People's Court rejected this appeal.

On March 29, 2019, the court of second instance rejected the appeal and upheld the original judgment.

Afterwards, Wumart Jingliang Road refused to accept the second-instance judgment and appealed to the Beijing Higher People's Court.

On November 18, 2019, the Beijing Higher People's Court found that in this case, the oligofructose content of the goods involved exceeded the limit prescribed by the relevant standards, and the original judgment found that the goods involved did not meet the food safety standards and were not inappropriate. The evidence submitted by Wumart Jingliang Road Store during the retrial application cannot overturn the original judgment, and this court will not accept it. The retrial application of Beijing Wumart Hypermarket Commercial Management Co., Ltd. Xihongmen Jingliang Road Store was rejected.

Milk powders such as Nestlé, Aunico, and Berryco were refused to entry due to excessive use of nutritional supplements.

In recent years, many batches of imported milk powder have been refused entry by my country's customs due to the excessive use of nutritional supplements, including well-known brands such as Nestlé, Aunico, and Berryco.

Among the food and cosmetics information that was not allowed to enter the country in May 2019 released by the General Administration of Customs, there is a batch of Lactoferrin modulated milk powder imported from Australia HEALTHCARE PTY by Shaanxi Yuanjing Import and Export Co., Ltd., due to the excessive use of nutritional fortifiers. Fructose is not allowed to enter the country.

The food and cosmetics information shows that  Nestlé and its brand Knin 7 batches totaling 10.82 tons of imported milk powder from Taiwan were not approved in June 2017 issued by the former General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine,  due to the excessive use of nutritional fortifiers vitamin B1 and B2 , B6, B12, etc..

ANZAC's infant formula was rejected by customs twice due to unqualified taurine content.

[mirumirumiruna]

Which has more calcium , yogurt or pure milk?

When it comes to milk, it can be said to be the sacred product of calcium supplementation as we know it. However, with the continuous development of science and technology, in recent years, the categories of milk have also been varied , and “milk” is no longer a single pure milk. Whole milk, skimmed milk, yogurt, fruit-flavored yogurt, etc., too many choices let us began to be confused. In general, when we make choices in the supermarket, many people are confused.

Let me talk about pure milk first

1. Room temperature milk

As the name implies, it is a dairy product that can be stored at room temperature. Their shelf life is as long as 6 months, or even 1 year. Why? Because this milk production method uses ultra-high temperature to kill all bacteria. The disadvantage is that in the high temperature, many beneficial bacteria and nutrients are killed together; the advantage is that it does not need to be refrigerated, and it can be easily carried as gifts to relatives and friends or when traveling.

2. Pasteurized milk

The shelf life of pasteurized milk is only a few days. It is pasteurized and sterilized, and the loss of vitamin B is only 10%. It can be said that this is a type of milk with the most comprehensive nutrition on the market. It should be noted that they need to be refrigerated throughout the entire process, otherwise they will deteriorate easily.

3. Reconstituted milk

Reconstituted milk is milk powder, which is dehydrated from raw milk. As long as a certain amount of water is added, it can be reconstituted to liquid milk. This is also how  room temperature milks are made. In order to make it easier for consumers to distinguish, the state stipulates that starting from October 15, 2013, the packaging of dairy products must be marked as "primary milk" or "reconstituted milk".

Next, let's talk about yogurt.

1. Ordinary yogurt

Ordinary yogurt is fermented by Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Thermophilic Streptococcus on the basis of raw milk. It is currently the most common type of yogurt in my country's yogurt market.

2. Functional yogurt

On the basis of ordinary yogurt, adding some probiotics can make the yogurt have more functions to adjust the stomach and intestines, which is also favored by many people.

3. Flavored yogurt

This kind of yogurt is based on ordinary yogurt, adding some flavor substances, such as red beans, cereals, etc., which tastes better and is popular among children and young people. Because yogurt is added with fungi, it has more functions to help the digestion and absorption of the stomach and intestines than pure milk. With its mellow taste, it is a good nutritious drink. It needs to be pointed out that yogurt and yogurt beverage are two concepts and should not be confused. For those who are hoping to absorb nutrients, the yogurt drink may be disappointing, as there is not much nutrition left in the production process.

For some people with lactose intolerance, yogurt is of course more suitable. Yogurt has turned the lactose of milk into lactic acid, and the human body will not be unable to digest lactose due to the lack of lactase enzyme, resulting in diarrhea and nausea. People with gastric ulcers and hyperacidity are more suitable to choose milk. To discharge  people with special problems, ordinary people can choose yogurt to supplement calcium.

[mirumirumiruna]

Precautions for drinking yogurt

Steps/Methods:

1. Drink a moderate amount of yogurt every day. 

Many people think that drinking yogurt helps digestion, so they drink a lot of yogurt after eating. In fact, yogurt also has a certain amount of calories, and a lot of yogurt will make people grow quickly. If you  are fat, so you have to drink an appropriate amount of yogurt every day to make the most of your health. One to two cups of yogurt is enough for adults.

2. Do not heat yogurt. 

Everyone knows that yogurt contains a lot of lactic acid bacteria. This kind of thing is the best thing in yogurt. It can promote gastrointestinal motility and relieve constipation, but did you know? If the lactic acid bacteria will be killed at high temperatures, then we drink yogurt without much meaning, so do not heat the yogurt before drinking it. If it is too cold in winter, you can use warm water to warm it up, not more than fifty degrees.

3. Yogurt is not a yogurt drink.

Now there are many kinds of yogurt drinks on supermarket shelves. The yogurt we are talking about here does not refer to these yogurt drinks. It is pure yogurt formed by fermentation of milk. Most of those yogurt drinks are artificial .The addition of a lot of food additives is bad for human health, and there are also a lot of sugar. If you drink these yogurt drinks for a long time, you will get fatter.

Precautions: Do not eat yogurt with processed meats such as ham and bacon. This will cause carcinogens in the human body and affect your health.

See more

[mirumirumiruna]

Sneak a few bites of these ingredients before drinking!

Drinking is something people take for granted, but some people are not accustomed to drinking, or can't drink it anymore, and it is difficult to reject the hospitality of friends. In fact, the bar table is a very challenging place for people. If you can't drink, you'd better learn to refuse it. Can not refuse alcohol, it is best to reduce the symptoms of drinking. Otherwise, drinking too much alcohol is really uncomfortable, and the damage to the stomach and liver will be great.I will teach you a few tips to reduce the harm of alcohol to the human body when drinking.

Don't drink on an empty stomach

Everyone is happy to drink. After all the dishes are on the table, everyone can’t wait to "do it first" or "toast and drink." At this time, the stomach is empty, and drinking white wine is more likely to stimulate the gastric mucosa, causing everyone to be overwhelmed with alcohol and feel dizzy. So be sure to drink something before drinking, it is best to drink a cup of dandelion tea to break down and absorb alcohol.

Drink lemonade before drinking

As the saying goes, drinking some vinegar after alcohol can help hangover, in fact, you can drink some lemonade before drinking. Because fresh lemon contains a lot of natural vitamin C, and vitamin C has a strong antioxidant effect, which is good for the body to decompose and absorb alcohol. The lemonade is sour, you don't want to drink too much, and there is no time to prepare lemonade. Don’t worry, now lemons are all made into lemon slices for preservation. You can buy them and use them directly. It’s also great to make tea.

Drink yogurt before drinking

Half an hour before drinking, you can drink some yogurt first, because yogurt can effectively protect the gastric mucosa of the human body and effectively slow down the absorption of alcohol in the stomach and intestines. The calcium content in yogurt is also very high, which is particularly effective in relieving irritability after drinking. There is a layer of comfort. Drinking a cup of yogurt after drinking can also have a hangover effect and also soothe the body and mind.

For more information,click here.

[mirumirumiruna]

When to drink milk

Morning and evening are the best time to drink milk. Drinking milk at breakfast provides sufficient nutrition for the vitality of the day; drinking milk at night not only helps sleep, but also helps the body absorb its nutrients.

According to research by medical experts in the United States and the United Kingdom, milk contains two previously unknown hypnotic substances, one of which is tryptophan synthesized from serotonin, which can promote sleep. Due to its effect, only a cup of milk is needed. It makes people fall asleep.

The other is a natural morphine-like substance with a narcotic sedative effect. Therefore, if you drink milk in the morning, it will inevitably inhibit the human cerebral cortex and affect work and study during the day. In addition, drinking milk in the morning is not conducive to digestion and absorption. This is because the protein in milk can only be absorbed by the body after being decomposed by the stomach and small intestine to form amino acids. In the morning on an empty stomach, the emptying of the stomach and intestine is very fast. Therefore, the milk is discharged into the large intestine before it can be digested. Furthermore, the absorbed protein in food can only form part of human tissue on the basis of sufficient calories. If the calories are insufficient, the absorbed protein will quickly become calories and be consumed. This is undoubtedly a waste. 

Therefore, nutrition experts believe that milk is best consumed in the evening or half an hour before going to bed.

For more information,click here.