The well-known baby food "Le Fei Baby Rice Cracker", which mainly focuses on "organic rice" and advertises health, was recently kicked out of using industrial nitrogen to seal the food. Physicians remind that nitrogen can assist food preservation, but food can only use food-grade nitrogen with a nitrogen concentration of more than 99%. Insufficient nitrogen concentration for industrial use, be careful that food is easily oxidized and deteriorated.
The Beishi Municipal Health Bureau found that the industry used nitrogen for industrial use
"Lefei Baby Rice Cake" was reported to be used as food-grade nitrogen. The New Taipei City Health Bureau went to inspect the site a few days ago, and found an industrial nitrogen cylinder marked "forbidden for food" at the scene, and the pipeline was connected to the packaging machine. Currently, the Health Bureau is fully tracing the whereabouts of the product.
High concentrations of nitrogen can prevent food oxidation and deterioration
Yan Zonghai, director of the Toxicology Department of Linkou Chang Gung Hospital, said that food will deteriorate mainly because of "oxidation". The oxygen concentration in the air is 20.95%, the nitrogen concentration is 78%, and the rest are argon, carbon dioxide and other trace gases. Nitrogen itself is non-toxic, and high-concentration nitrogen is injected into the food packaging to reduce the oxygen concentration to avoid food oxidation and deterioration.
The concentration of food-grade nitrogen must be higher than 99%, too low and perishable.
Internationally, food-grade nitrogen is required to have a concentration of more than 99%, or even as high as 99.99%, and the environmental sanitation when producing nitrogen also has strict requirements. However, the concentration of industrial nitrogen is from 95% to 99%, the sanitary environment requirements of the production process are not strict, and the nitrogen concentration is insufficient and contains impurities, and the hygiene and safety of the production process cannot be determined. Yan Zonghai reminded that the concentration should be lower than99% nitrogen preserves food, be careful that food is easily oxidized and spoiled. Although nitrogen itself is non-toxic, whether the industrial nitrogen used by the industry is harmful to health still needs further actual investigation by the competent authorities.
◎ Image source/Le Fei Foods (Organic Baby Rice Crackers) Facebook
◎ Consult an expert / Dr. Yan Zonghai
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