This delicious food is now on the market in large quantities, but don't eat it when it turns red!

Review expert: Wang Xuejiang, professor at Capital Medical University

As the saying goes, "Sugarcane tastes better than ginseng in winter." Now is the season when sugarcane is on the market.

Sugarcane tastes sweet

It can clear away heat, detoxify, promote the production of body fluids and quench thirst

Loved by people

Everyone is addicted to sweetness

Also pay attention to the shape of sugarcane

Don't be careless for a moment.

Treating "poison" as food

That would be really bad!

sugar cane

Sugarcane, commonly known as purple-leaf sugarcane, black-skinned sugarcane, black sugarcane, etc., is a tall, solid perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Saccharum in the Poaceae family. It is widely grown in southern tropical regions such as Taiwan, Fujian, and Guangdong in China. It is a major cash crop in tropical sugar producing countries around the world.

Studies have shown that sugar cane is rich in sugar and water. In addition, it also contains various vitamins, fats, proteins, organic acids, calcium, iron and other substances that are very beneficial to human metabolism. Sugar cane can not only add sweetness to food, but also provide the nutrients and calories needed by the human body.

The white flesh of sugarcane is better!

In daily life, when we see the inside of sugarcane turning red, we always think that such sugarcane is sweeter. This is not the case. The "red heart" or "black heart" of sugarcane may be contaminated by mold and must not be eaten at this time!

01 Hospitalized after eating “red heart” sugarcane

A few years ago, a Ningbo resident suffered from nausea and vomiting, chest pain, pulmonary edema, a sudden drop in blood oxygen saturation, respiratory failure, and unstable vital signs after eating a piece of red sugar cane. Although he was sent to the hospital in time, he still suffered from multiple organ systemic failure and was still in danger of death after several days of rescue.

Coincidentally, when Aunt Wang from Hangzhou ate sugar cane, she found that the taste and texture were not right. Not only was it not crispy and crunchy, but it also had a bit of wine sourness in the sweetness. The sugar cane did not look pure white, but was light brown inside. After eating the sugar cane, Aunt Wang felt unwell and had symptoms such as difficulty breathing, and was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment.

02 The fruit peel is hard, can it also be contaminated by mold?

You may ask, how can mold invade the sugarcane peel when it is so hard?

Indeed, sugarcane has a relatively high sugar content, sufficient water content, and a hard peel, but it often has cuts when it is harvested because the sugarcane is too "tall" and needs to be shortened for easier transportation and storage. At this time, the sugarcane has cuts, exposing the flesh, and is affected by storage conditions and transportation environment, so the risk of mold contamination increases.

In addition to the risks during harvesting, when we buy sugarcane, merchants often peel and cut it into pieces for us. At this time, more sugarcane pulp is exposed to the air. If it is not stored properly, it is also very easy to be contaminated by mold.

03 Common mold: Arthrocystis

Sugarcane flesh itself is white, so how can it turn red?

This is because during the storage process, the sugarcane ferments or develops diseases such as red rot, during which a lot of toxins are produced. At this time, the Arthrocotyledon is quietly separated from the moldy and deteriorated sugarcane.

The isolated Arthrocystis not only "grows" on its own, but also produces a toxic chemical: 3-nitropropionic acid, which is a strong neurotoxin! It can cause serious damage to the nervous system, liver, kidneys and lungs, and the most serious damage is to the nervous system!

The initial symptoms after poisoning are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, followed by dizziness, headache, convulsions and other symptoms. In severe cases, cerebral ischemic necrosis, respiratory failure and even death may occur. Some poisoned patients may experience language and movement disorders.

This damage is basically irreversible!

04 Don’t eat moldy food!

In addition to turning red, sugarcane can also become moldy. Moldy sugarcane is grayish and dull, and has a musty or wine lees smell and a sour and spicy taste. This kind of sugarcane is unappetizing just by looking at it and smelling it, so don't eat it.

Someone asked, "Is it okay if I cut off the discolored parts and eat the normal colored parts?" Of course not!

Usually, after the fungus invades the sugarcane, the hyphae can extend. Even if the moldy part is cut off, the remaining sugarcane will contain a large amount of toxins that are invisible to the naked eye. So even if the moldy part of the sugarcane is cut off, the remaining sugarcane should not be eaten!

How to buy good sugarcane?

Touch: Feel the softness and hardness of sugarcane

Check the softness and hardness of sugarcane. Moldy sugarcane is softer in texture and has poor hardness.

Second look: Check whether the sugarcane pulp is fresh

Fresh and normal sugarcane has a shiny skin with white frost and no mold spots. The flesh is milky white and tastes sweet. Moldy sugarcane has a dark skin, white flocs or hairy mold on the tip and cut surface, and the flesh is darker than normal sugarcane, generally gray-black, brown-yellow or brown-red, with reddish-brown stripes or blue-black spots of varying thicknesses mixed in the fibers.

Three smells: identify whether sugarcane has peculiar smell

Normal sugarcane has a fresh fruity aroma, while moldy sugarcane is generally odorless, sour, moldy, or has a wine lees smell.

If the sugar cane is soft, discolored, smells like alcohol, has hair, or turns red inside, it should not be eaten. In addition, it is recommended to eat the purchased sugar cane on the same day.

In addition, sugarcane has a high sugar content and is cold in nature, so it is not suitable for people with weak spleen and stomach, diabetes, and high blood sugar. Children can easily choke on sugarcane, which poses a risk of suffocation, so they must be careful when eating it.