Note when buying dried chili products, chili powder – part 1

Using chemicals, artificial colors in the production and processing of dried chili or chili powder has many consequences for the health of consumers.

Chili powder is one of the popular spices in the preparation of everyday dishes. However, for the sake of profit, many establishments have produced dry chili, chili powder is not guaranteed, causing many impacts on the health of consumers.

Recently, the Agro-forestry and Fishery Quality Control Department recommended that for profitable purpose, some processing establishments and enterprises producing dried chili have used additives such as colorants and preservatives that are not in categories are allowed or exceeded. This can be harmful to consumers such as liver, kidney, and digestive system failure, even affect the immune and endocrine systems and, more importantly, cause cancer.

For example, rhodamine B used to preserve and dye a bright red color is very eye-catching for chili to attract buyers. Meanwhile, experts say rhodamine B is a luminescent pigment mainly used in some medical testing techniques, not on the list of approved food use by the Ministry of Health.

In addition to using chemicals, the Quality Management Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said that the production of dried chili, paprika is also likely to be contaminated with harmful bacteria such as E.coli, Salmonella. These bacteria when entering the human body will cause diarrhea, typhoid. They also easily enter food if the manufacturer does not ensure food hygiene and safety from the extraction, collection, preliminary processing, and processing (from workers, equipment, containers. in direct contact with the product).

In addition, the greatest concern is that moldy products will produce mycotoxins, the most dangerous of which is aflatoxin. This is a fungus that affects the kidneys and causes liver cancer.

Associate Professor – Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh, Institute of Biotechnology and Food – Hanoi University of Technology, shared: “Dry chili contaminated with this aflatoxin is most likely due to harvesting, drying, preservation, and grinding conditions. Powder drying (or whole fruit) does not guarantee the quality or does not have any control of temperature as well as humidity, safety and hygiene make mold grow on chili “.

According to this expert, when consumers use mold foods containing aflatoxin, it will cause chronic poisoning, slowly affecting many parts of the body, especially gradually accumulating in the liver. out of liver cancer.

To ensure food safety for dried chili, the Department recommends that manufacturers and traders of dried chili products absolutely do not use unknown origin materials, additives outside the permitted list, and comply dosage specified by the Ministry of Health. Finished products need to be packed tightly after drying, drying, and grinding. Store the product in a clean, dry place away from the mold.

In addition, it is necessary to comply with regulations on ensuring food safety in the process of exploiting, preliminarily processing, processing and preserving dried products to prevent contamination with pathogenic microorganisms.

For consumers, when buying goods, absolutely do not buy moldy products, products with strange colors. The Department also recommends that people only buy from reputable establishments with a clear origin, with the date of manufacture and expiry date printed on products.