Taiwan’s Baolin Tea House food poisoning case has left two dead and spread panic across the country. Kuay teow and rice noodles are considered high-risk foods for “rice fermentation acid”. Additionally, experts warn that rice, pasta and other foods should be avoided. Frequent reheating can reduce the chance of food poisoning. Many netizens lamented, “Am I going to die because I eat dinner to save money?” Yang Zhenchang, director of the Department of Occupational Medicine and Clinical Toxicology of Taipei Rong Zong, said that night lunch is not a breeding ground for toxins. Leaving rice at room temperature for more than 2 hours is key to producing toxins. If uncooked rice can be refrigerated immediately, you don’t have to worry about toxicity even when eaten at dinner.
Yang Zhenchang said that the case of Baolin tea hall poisoning has not yet been determined to be caused by “rice fermentation acid”. However, based on the symptoms and course of the case, it is highly suspected that it is related to the original fermentation acid. According to the literature, most cases of basic fermentation acid occur in corn and soybean products, with many cases in China.
Chinese people are accustomed to packing leftovers from the previous night into lunch boxes for the next day, or reheating restaurant leftovers for consumption the next day to reduce leftovers. Yang Zhenchang said that whether it is rice yeast or cactus bacteria, it usually begins to appear when food is left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Not that “overnight cooking” would produce toxins, but uneaten rice is not refrigerated. Immediately. This is the key to potential toxicity.
Yang Zhenchang said that different foods will produce different toxins. For example, when rice is not stored in good conditions, cactus bacteria can easily appear, eggs can cause salmonella, seafood can cause norovirus, and if the restaurant environment is unclean, E. coli may appear. Contamination, etc. When people eat out to buy convenience stores, operators usually write “it is recommended to finish eating within 2 hours” to avoid the presence of toxins.
Currently, the best way to preserve food is to use a freezer or refrigerator. However, many families are accustomed to storing large amounts of food, filling the entire refrigerator, making it almost impossible for the refrigerator to breathe. Yang Zhenchang reminded that the temperature of the refrigerator compartment is about Celsius. Four degrees or below, if the refrigerator is full and the air conditioning cannot circulate, the quality of food preservation will also be affected. This will also increase the growth of bacteria or toxins. If toxins have developed in food, even if it is completely warm, it will be difficult to eliminate it, and the public is urged to clean refrigerators regularly. Do this and do not fill it for more than six to eight minutes. If this is true, it will also increase the chances of food poisoning.
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