Clipping Board » Illness Enters through Mouth ─ The information that has been made public is often just the tip of the iceberg...
Life Center / Comprehensive Report
The vegetables sold in supermarkets and markets are sometimes bound with tape, making them easier to handle and keeping them intact. However, if businesses use tape containing toluene, toxic substances may adhere to the vegetables. Neither the Council of Agriculture’s Agricultural and Food Agency nor the Food and Drug Administration has specific regulations on this matter, potentially leading consumers to unknowingly ingest toxins.
According to reports from mainland Chinese media, vegetables in large supermarkets there are often bundled with tape for better presentation and ease of handling. However, it was recently revealed that such tape may contain toxic chemical components like formaldehyde or xylene. Doctors warn that if vegetables are not thoroughly washed, residues from the tape can decompose during high-temperature cooking. Long-term ingestion of these substances may cause damage to the digestive tract’s mucous membranes.
An investigation found that the tape used to bundle fruits and vegetables in Taiwan comes in two types: one made of rubber and the other of acrylic adhesive. Acrylic adhesive uses toluene as a solvent during production. Because acrylic adhesive tape costs only half as much as rubber tape, many vegetable vendors—even official produce marketing groups—use it. However, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) stated that it would only intervene if the tape is improperly discarded or contaminates the environment, as adhesive residue on produce does not fall under its jurisdiction.
Regarding the issue of toxic tape, Article 16 of the Food Safety Management Act stipulates that food utensils, containers, or packaging materials must not produce harmful chemical reactions that endanger health, and their manufacture, sale, import, or use is prohibited. Violators are required to rectify the issue within a deadline or face fines ranging from NT$30,000 to NT$3 million. However, there are no detailed regulations distinguishing between industrial-use and food-use tape, creating a legal loophole.
Source: http://www. ettoday. net/ news/ 20130905/ 266158. htm
Beware of Toxic Tape! Adhesive on Fruits and Vegetables May Contain Toluene, Harming Digestive Mucosa
The vegetables sold in supermarkets and markets are sometimes bound with tape, making them easier to handle and keeping them intact. However, if businesses use tape containing toluene, toxic substances may adhere to the vegetables. Neither the Council of Agriculture’s Agricultural and Food Agency nor the Food and Drug Administration has specific regulations on this matter, potentially leading consumers to unknowingly ingest toxins.
According to reports from mainland Chinese media, vegetables in large supermarkets there are often bundled with tape for better presentation and ease of handling. However, it was recently revealed that such tape may contain toxic chemical components like formaldehyde or xylene. Doctors warn that if vegetables are not thoroughly washed, residues from the tape can decompose during high-temperature cooking. Long-term ingestion of these substances may cause damage to the digestive tract’s mucous membranes.
An investigation found that the tape used to bundle fruits and vegetables in Taiwan comes in two types: one made of rubber and the other of acrylic adhesive. Acrylic adhesive uses toluene as a solvent during production. Because acrylic adhesive tape costs only half as much as rubber tape, many vegetable vendors—even official produce marketing groups—use it. However, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) stated that it would only intervene if the tape is improperly discarded or contaminates the environment, as adhesive residue on produce does not fall under its jurisdiction.
Regarding the issue of toxic tape, Article 16 of the Food Safety Management Act stipulates that food utensils, containers, or packaging materials must not produce harmful chemical reactions that endanger health, and their manufacture, sale, import, or use is prohibited. Violators are required to rectify the issue within a deadline or face fines ranging from NT$30,000 to NT$3 million. However, there are no detailed regulations distinguishing between industrial-use and food-use tape, creating a legal loophole.
Source: http://www. ettoday. net/ news/ 20130905/ 266158. htm