Clipping Board » Illness Enters through Mouth ─ The information that has been made public is often just the tip of the iceberg...
An article claiming that "basil can cause liver cancer" has been circulating online for some time. Li Zhiheng, a technical supervisor at the Department of Health, recently published an article in the latest issue of the "Taiwan Public Health Journal," stating that the Department of Health has conducted research confirming that fresh basil, along with spices or traditional Chinese medicines such as cinnamon, star anise, angelica, and asarum, indeed contain safrole, which has been proven in animal experiments to cause liver cancer.
Basil is a commonly used spice. When Mrs. Chen heard yesterday that such foods might be carcinogenic, she said, "Three-cup chicken and salt and pepper chicken would lose their flavor without basil, but since it might cause cancer, I will use less in the future. Eating a little less should not be a problem."
Li Zhiheng's article in the "Taiwan Public Health Journal" pointed out that in 1989, the Department of Health's Bureau of Food and Drug Analysis confirmed that fresh basil contains 1 to 25 ppm (parts per million) of safrole. Angelica, cinnamon, star anise, and others also contain safrole. Safrole has been found to cause liver cancer in animal experiments, but there are no human cases of cancer caused by it yet. It is currently classified by the World Health Organization as a possible carcinogen and does not need to be banned. However, "the United States has already established standards based on food toxicity and intake, while Taiwan still lacks an evaluation mechanism and should strive to develop one."
The Department of Health has decided to follow suit. Zheng Huiwen, director of the Food Safety Division, said yesterday that establishing a carcinogenic evaluation mechanism for traditional foods and standards for food additives will be a key focus this year. Scholars will be commissioned to evaluate the safety of hundreds of ingredients, with priority given to commonly consumed foods like basil and wild vegetables. In the next two to three years, active evaluations will be conducted to establish guidelines for safe intake levels.
Zhang Jiabei, a traditional Chinese medicine physician at Taipei Medical University Hospital, suggested that safrole can volatilize when heated, so basil should be cooked before eating. Traditional Chinese medicines like angelica and star anise, processed through ancient methods such as steaming, sun-drying, and stir-frying with wine, can also dissolve toxins. However, "since liver disease is common among Taiwanese, it is better to consume less unless necessary."
Safrole (Safrole) Profile:
※ Carcinogenicity
Classified as a Group 2B carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), meaning it has been proven in animal experiments to cause genetic toxicity, cell mutation, and liver cancer; however, there is insufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans.
※ Common foods containing safrole: Angelica, basil, cinnamon, star anise, old vines in betel nuts, etc.
※ Precautions
◎ Heating can volatilize some safrole and reduce toxicity; it is recommended to cook foods containing safrole.
◎ Choose traditionally processed Chinese medicinal materials, as steaming, sun-drying, or stir-frying with wine can dissolve toxins and reduce safrole content.
Source: Li Zhiheng, Technical Supervisor at the Department of Health; Zhang Jiabei, Traditional Chinese Medicine Physician at Taipei Medical University Hospital
Source: http:/ / www. fashionguide. com. ……gL/ 07/ 3_TopicL_345355_2. html
Basil May Cause Cancer; Consumption Limits to be Set
Basil is a commonly used spice. When Mrs. Chen heard yesterday that such foods might be carcinogenic, she said, "Three-cup chicken and salt and pepper chicken would lose their flavor without basil, but since it might cause cancer, I will use less in the future. Eating a little less should not be a problem."
Li Zhiheng's article in the "Taiwan Public Health Journal" pointed out that in 1989, the Department of Health's Bureau of Food and Drug Analysis confirmed that fresh basil contains 1 to 25 ppm (parts per million) of safrole. Angelica, cinnamon, star anise, and others also contain safrole. Safrole has been found to cause liver cancer in animal experiments, but there are no human cases of cancer caused by it yet. It is currently classified by the World Health Organization as a possible carcinogen and does not need to be banned. However, "the United States has already established standards based on food toxicity and intake, while Taiwan still lacks an evaluation mechanism and should strive to develop one."
The Department of Health has decided to follow suit. Zheng Huiwen, director of the Food Safety Division, said yesterday that establishing a carcinogenic evaluation mechanism for traditional foods and standards for food additives will be a key focus this year. Scholars will be commissioned to evaluate the safety of hundreds of ingredients, with priority given to commonly consumed foods like basil and wild vegetables. In the next two to three years, active evaluations will be conducted to establish guidelines for safe intake levels.
Zhang Jiabei, a traditional Chinese medicine physician at Taipei Medical University Hospital, suggested that safrole can volatilize when heated, so basil should be cooked before eating. Traditional Chinese medicines like angelica and star anise, processed through ancient methods such as steaming, sun-drying, and stir-frying with wine, can also dissolve toxins. However, "since liver disease is common among Taiwanese, it is better to consume less unless necessary."
Safrole (Safrole) Profile:
※ Carcinogenicity
Classified as a Group 2B carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), meaning it has been proven in animal experiments to cause genetic toxicity, cell mutation, and liver cancer; however, there is insufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans.
※ Common foods containing safrole: Angelica, basil, cinnamon, star anise, old vines in betel nuts, etc.
※ Precautions
◎ Heating can volatilize some safrole and reduce toxicity; it is recommended to cook foods containing safrole.
◎ Choose traditionally processed Chinese medicinal materials, as steaming, sun-drying, or stir-frying with wine can dissolve toxins and reduce safrole content.
Source: Li Zhiheng, Technical Supervisor at the Department of Health; Zhang Jiabei, Traditional Chinese Medicine Physician at Taipei Medical University Hospital
Source: http:/ / www. fashionguide. com. ……gL/ 07/ 3_TopicL_345355_2. html