Clipping Board » Illness Enters through Mouth ─ The information that has been made public is often just the tip of the iceberg...
Uho Health Network – October 31, 2014
Reporter Chen Chengzhang / Interview Report
The Tainted Oil Scandal at Ting Hsin has triggered a domino effect in the food industry. Whether large or small manufacturers, as the government slowly peels back the layers to reveal that various oil products have all been contaminated, the atmosphere has become tense and uneasy. However, this has also exposed a bad habit among Taiwanese consumers—preferring cheap and large portions of food, unknowingly putting themselves at risk of health damage! From the gutter oil scandal of QS, Ting Hsin’s lard, to the third wave of beef oil revealing food safety failures, even the restructured beef from Taiwan’s major meat supplier, Shusen, had to incorporate "beef fat powder" to achieve a beef flavor, sparking a wave of skepticism.
From chain budget steak restaurants in night markets to high-end dining at the Grand Hotel, Shusen’s restructured beef was found everywhere, leaving many consumers shocked to realize that steaks from budget to expensive options all came from the same company. Consequently, the Food and Drug Administration invoked the *Food Safety and Sanitation Management Act*, reiterating that all restructured beef must be clearly labeled in the future, with penalties ranging from NT$30,000 to NT$3 million for violations. However, even if manufacturers dutifully label the beef ingredients, they cannot fully explain the hidden food safety risks of restructured beef!
**Two Major Risks of Restructured Steak You Must Know!**
Do you think that if the budget beef you’re eating now doesn’t contain toxic beef fat powder, it’s completely safe? Dr. Yan Zonghai, a toxicologist at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, points out that during the restructuring process of beef, there are two major risks when piecing together small pieces of beef: the use of adhesives and concerns about bacterial contamination.
If you want to assemble small, coin-sized pieces of beef into a large steak, the use of adhesives is unavoidable. Most adhesives are phosphate-based. Chronic kidney disease patients who are long-term exposed to foods containing such adhesives may suffer kidney damage. Additionally, excessive phosphate intake can lead to vascular calcification or cardiovascular diseases even in healthy individuals.
**Adhesives Dilute Steak Flavor—"Unknown Seasonings" May Become a Health Burden**
Xu Huiyu, Director of the Nutrition Group at the John Tung Foundation, adds that if plasma protein is used as an adhesive, it increases the water retention of the steak, which is why consumers find restructured steaks so juicy. However, the minced meat used in restructured beef isn’t naturally flavorful. With adhesives absorbing large amounts of water, the beef tastes bland, making beef fat powder, flavor enhancers, and marination almost unavoidable. These "unknown" additives may pose a burden to health.
"The contact surface of restructured beef is extensive," Yan Zonghai states bluntly. A more serious issue is food contamination. In these budget steak restaurants, whether serving restructured beef or not, customers are often asked, "How would you like your steak cooked?" However, due to the large contact surface of restructured beef, the risk of bacterial contamination increases significantly. Eating medium-rare or medium-well steaks with visible blood still poses risks. For the elderly or those with weaker immune systems, consuming undercooked restructured beef "could lead to acute gastroenteritis at best or even sepsis at worst," Yan Zonghai warns with great concern.
Plasma protein also raises contamination risks, Xu Huiyu notes. Because of its high nutritional value, it is more prone to bacterial growth during the bonding process, significantly increasing the risk of unclean food. Yan Zonghai advises that if you must eat budget steak, it’s best to have it well-done to avoid bacterial infections. Of course, the best strategy is to consume less restructured beef to minimize health risks.The prevalence of various affordable delicacies has been evident in recent years. To boost tourism revenue and enhance Taiwan's soft power, the government has vigorously promoted night market culture, leading to a proliferation of tourist night markets across cities and counties. Fueled by the trend of budget-friendly food, this has undeniably formed a "cheap food supply chain" in Taiwan. Consequently, manufacturers cut costs to keep products within the price range deemed acceptable by the market, a practice readily embraced by consumers. Currently, the Ministry of Health and Welfare cannot guarantee the absence of unscrupulous practices yet to be exposed, and its ambiguous stance suggests that food safety issues may continue to arise in the future.
Source: https:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ % E……1% 80% E7% 97% 87- 000000996. html
Unveiling the Two Major Concerns of Restructured Steak! Eating It Undercooked May Lead to Sepsis
Reporter Chen Chengzhang / Interview Report
The Tainted Oil Scandal at Ting Hsin has triggered a domino effect in the food industry. Whether large or small manufacturers, as the government slowly peels back the layers to reveal that various oil products have all been contaminated, the atmosphere has become tense and uneasy. However, this has also exposed a bad habit among Taiwanese consumers—preferring cheap and large portions of food, unknowingly putting themselves at risk of health damage! From the gutter oil scandal of QS, Ting Hsin’s lard, to the third wave of beef oil revealing food safety failures, even the restructured beef from Taiwan’s major meat supplier, Shusen, had to incorporate "beef fat powder" to achieve a beef flavor, sparking a wave of skepticism.
From chain budget steak restaurants in night markets to high-end dining at the Grand Hotel, Shusen’s restructured beef was found everywhere, leaving many consumers shocked to realize that steaks from budget to expensive options all came from the same company. Consequently, the Food and Drug Administration invoked the *Food Safety and Sanitation Management Act*, reiterating that all restructured beef must be clearly labeled in the future, with penalties ranging from NT$30,000 to NT$3 million for violations. However, even if manufacturers dutifully label the beef ingredients, they cannot fully explain the hidden food safety risks of restructured beef!
**Two Major Risks of Restructured Steak You Must Know!**
Do you think that if the budget beef you’re eating now doesn’t contain toxic beef fat powder, it’s completely safe? Dr. Yan Zonghai, a toxicologist at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, points out that during the restructuring process of beef, there are two major risks when piecing together small pieces of beef: the use of adhesives and concerns about bacterial contamination.
If you want to assemble small, coin-sized pieces of beef into a large steak, the use of adhesives is unavoidable. Most adhesives are phosphate-based. Chronic kidney disease patients who are long-term exposed to foods containing such adhesives may suffer kidney damage. Additionally, excessive phosphate intake can lead to vascular calcification or cardiovascular diseases even in healthy individuals.
**Adhesives Dilute Steak Flavor—"Unknown Seasonings" May Become a Health Burden**
Xu Huiyu, Director of the Nutrition Group at the John Tung Foundation, adds that if plasma protein is used as an adhesive, it increases the water retention of the steak, which is why consumers find restructured steaks so juicy. However, the minced meat used in restructured beef isn’t naturally flavorful. With adhesives absorbing large amounts of water, the beef tastes bland, making beef fat powder, flavor enhancers, and marination almost unavoidable. These "unknown" additives may pose a burden to health.
"The contact surface of restructured beef is extensive," Yan Zonghai states bluntly. A more serious issue is food contamination. In these budget steak restaurants, whether serving restructured beef or not, customers are often asked, "How would you like your steak cooked?" However, due to the large contact surface of restructured beef, the risk of bacterial contamination increases significantly. Eating medium-rare or medium-well steaks with visible blood still poses risks. For the elderly or those with weaker immune systems, consuming undercooked restructured beef "could lead to acute gastroenteritis at best or even sepsis at worst," Yan Zonghai warns with great concern.
Plasma protein also raises contamination risks, Xu Huiyu notes. Because of its high nutritional value, it is more prone to bacterial growth during the bonding process, significantly increasing the risk of unclean food. Yan Zonghai advises that if you must eat budget steak, it’s best to have it well-done to avoid bacterial infections. Of course, the best strategy is to consume less restructured beef to minimize health risks.The prevalence of various affordable delicacies has been evident in recent years. To boost tourism revenue and enhance Taiwan's soft power, the government has vigorously promoted night market culture, leading to a proliferation of tourist night markets across cities and counties. Fueled by the trend of budget-friendly food, this has undeniably formed a "cheap food supply chain" in Taiwan. Consequently, manufacturers cut costs to keep products within the price range deemed acceptable by the market, a practice readily embraced by consumers. Currently, the Ministry of Health and Welfare cannot guarantee the absence of unscrupulous practices yet to be exposed, and its ambiguous stance suggests that food safety issues may continue to arise in the future.
Source: https:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ % E……1% 80% E7% 97% 87- 000000996. html