Clipping Board » Illness Enters through Mouth ─ The information that has been made public is often just the tip of the iceberg...
Update Date: 2009/12/01 21:01
As the weather turns cooler, hot pot restaurants are seeing better business! However, according to a Consumers' Foundation sampling of commercially available alcohol gel products, high levels of methanol were found. If the alcohol gel burns incompletely while people are enjoying hot pot, it can produce toxic formaldehyde, which can harm the body.
When the weather is cold, gathering with friends for hot pot is truly a great pleasure! But if alcohol gel is used carelessly, it could lead to disaster. Cases of accidental burns from lighting fires are not uncommon, yet the hidden dangers of eating hot pot don’t stop there!
The Consumers' Foundation sampled 14 alcohol gel products in the market and found that 13 of them failed to meet labeling regulations—either lacking usage instructions or emergency handling methods. Even worse, among the 14 samples tested, the methanol content in all exceeded 50%. If burned incompletely, it could pose serious health risks!
The Consumers' Foundation advises the public to ensure proper ventilation when using alcohol gel or, better yet, switch to induction cookers to avoid turning a joyful hot pot feast into a tragedy.
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ art……url/ d/ a/ 091201/ 11/ 1w19z. html
Update Date: 2009/12/01 12:28
By Lin Yi-hsiu, Awakening News Network Reporter
Eating hot pot in winter? Beware of inhaling carcinogens! The Consumers’ Foundation today released a survey on alcohol-based gel fuels available in the market, revealing that all tested products contained over 50% methanol. The foundation warned that incomplete combustion of methanol can produce formaldehyde, which has been classified as a suspected carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). They urged authorities to swiftly regulate methanol content in these fuels to safeguard consumer health.
Many restaurants use alcohol-based gel fuels to keep food warm. In October, the Consumers’ Foundation purchased 14 samples from supermarkets, household goods stores, and hardware stores across Taipei City, New Taipei City, Taoyuan County, Taichung City, Tainan City, and Tainan County. The tests showed that all products contained more than 50% methanol. Restaurant operators also admitted that they typically source these fuels from supermarkets.
Chuang Chi-chung, an inspector from the Taipei City Fire Department, explained that since the government lacks clear regulations on methanol content in commercial alcohol-based gel fuels, and because methanol is significantly cheaper than ethanol, businesses commonly use high-methanol fuels.
Chuang further noted that methanol is highly toxic to humans. Poisoning usually occurs through accidental ingestion or inhalation of methanol vapors. Once metabolized in the body, methanol oxidizes into even more toxic formaldehyde and formic acid. Formaldehyde, in particular, is 33 times more toxic than methanol.
The issue arises when methanol burns incompletely, releasing formaldehyde in the exhaust. When inhaled, formaldehyde binds with amino acids in proteins, disrupting cellular metabolism and damaging cells. Formaldehyde has already been classified as a suspected carcinogen by the IARC.
Alarmingly, no regulatory agency has established clear guidelines for methanol content in commercial alcohol-based gel fuels. Faced with this regulatory vacuum, the Consumers’ Foundation urged the government to take action and implement management standards to ensure public safety.
Additionally, the foundation advised consumers to ensure proper ventilation and maintain a safe distance from heating devices when eating foods warmed by alcohol-based gel fuels to minimize exposure to incomplete combustion byproducts. Restaurant staff were also reminded to extinguish any remaining flames before refueling to prevent dangerous flare-ups.
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ art……rl/ d/ a/ 091201/ 115/ 1w0my. html
Incomplete Alcohol Gel Combustion Produces Toxins
As the weather turns cooler, hot pot restaurants are seeing better business! However, according to a Consumers' Foundation sampling of commercially available alcohol gel products, high levels of methanol were found. If the alcohol gel burns incompletely while people are enjoying hot pot, it can produce toxic formaldehyde, which can harm the body.
When the weather is cold, gathering with friends for hot pot is truly a great pleasure! But if alcohol gel is used carelessly, it could lead to disaster. Cases of accidental burns from lighting fires are not uncommon, yet the hidden dangers of eating hot pot don’t stop there!
The Consumers' Foundation sampled 14 alcohol gel products in the market and found that 13 of them failed to meet labeling regulations—either lacking usage instructions or emergency handling methods. Even worse, among the 14 samples tested, the methanol content in all exceeded 50%. If burned incompletely, it could pose serious health risks!
The Consumers' Foundation advises the public to ensure proper ventilation when using alcohol gel or, better yet, switch to induction cookers to avoid turning a joyful hot pot feast into a tragedy.
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ art……url/ d/ a/ 091201/ 11/ 1w19z. html
Beware of Carcinogens from Hot Pot in Winter
By Lin Yi-hsiu, Awakening News Network Reporter
Eating hot pot in winter? Beware of inhaling carcinogens! The Consumers’ Foundation today released a survey on alcohol-based gel fuels available in the market, revealing that all tested products contained over 50% methanol. The foundation warned that incomplete combustion of methanol can produce formaldehyde, which has been classified as a suspected carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). They urged authorities to swiftly regulate methanol content in these fuels to safeguard consumer health.
Many restaurants use alcohol-based gel fuels to keep food warm. In October, the Consumers’ Foundation purchased 14 samples from supermarkets, household goods stores, and hardware stores across Taipei City, New Taipei City, Taoyuan County, Taichung City, Tainan City, and Tainan County. The tests showed that all products contained more than 50% methanol. Restaurant operators also admitted that they typically source these fuels from supermarkets.
Chuang Chi-chung, an inspector from the Taipei City Fire Department, explained that since the government lacks clear regulations on methanol content in commercial alcohol-based gel fuels, and because methanol is significantly cheaper than ethanol, businesses commonly use high-methanol fuels.
Chuang further noted that methanol is highly toxic to humans. Poisoning usually occurs through accidental ingestion or inhalation of methanol vapors. Once metabolized in the body, methanol oxidizes into even more toxic formaldehyde and formic acid. Formaldehyde, in particular, is 33 times more toxic than methanol.
The issue arises when methanol burns incompletely, releasing formaldehyde in the exhaust. When inhaled, formaldehyde binds with amino acids in proteins, disrupting cellular metabolism and damaging cells. Formaldehyde has already been classified as a suspected carcinogen by the IARC.
Alarmingly, no regulatory agency has established clear guidelines for methanol content in commercial alcohol-based gel fuels. Faced with this regulatory vacuum, the Consumers’ Foundation urged the government to take action and implement management standards to ensure public safety.
Additionally, the foundation advised consumers to ensure proper ventilation and maintain a safe distance from heating devices when eating foods warmed by alcohol-based gel fuels to minimize exposure to incomplete combustion byproducts. Restaurant staff were also reminded to extinguish any remaining flames before refueling to prevent dangerous flare-ups.
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ art……rl/ d/ a/ 091201/ 115/ 1w0my. html