How often do you change your chopsticks? A truth that many people don’t know

How often do you change your chopsticks? It is generally believed that if they are not broken, they do not need to be changed. Even if many families change them, the frequency of replacement is as long as several years. Little do people know that household chopsticks are used frequently and washed with water for a long time, resulting in a particularly high water content in the chopsticks, which can easily become a breeding ground for bacteria. Such as yellow Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, etc. Placing chopsticks in the cupboard for a long time may increase the chance of chopsticks deterioration by more than five times. Some restaurants use chopsticks for more than 3 years, and the number of bacteria on a pair of chopsticks is as high as about 100,000.

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It is best to replace it every 3 to 6 months

In real life, most families use mixed chopsticks when eating, and the method of cleaning chopsticks is not correct. If such chopsticks are used for a long time, it is easy to get digestive tract diseases such as hepatitis, dysentery, acute gastroenteritis, etc. Data show that nearly 50% of the human body has Helicobacter pylori that causes stomach disease, and these bacteria are mostly transmitted in the family, and chopsticks are one of the important transmission channels.

In theory, bamboo and wooden chopsticks should be replaced every 3 to 6 months. Chopsticks that have been used for more than 6 months may breed aflatoxin, posing a health hazard.

There will be tiny grooves on the chopsticks. These tiny grooves and gaps will hide various bacteria and unclean detergents. Moreover, wooden chopsticks are prone to mold when they come into contact with water. Especially when they are not cleaned properly, some food residues will be mixed in the chopsticks, which will deteriorate and mold, and aflatoxin will appear in them.

This is a carcinogen that is very harmful to the body. Simple cleaning cannot remove the mold inside. If moldy disposable chopsticks are used for a long time, it may cause infectious diarrhea, vomiting and other digestive system diseases. Severely moldy chopsticks will breed "aflatoxin", which has been widely recognized to induce liver cancer.

In these two situations, change your chopsticks immediately

In order to reduce this risk, chopsticks should be replaced or disinfected regularly to keep them hygienic and prevent diseases from entering the body through the mouth. How to judge whether chopsticks should be replaced? In these two situations, chopsticks should be replaced immediately.

Change the discolored chopsticks immediately

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The survey found that the color of ordinary chopsticks will become darker or lighter over time and frequency of use within 3-6 months of use. In addition, the edible paint on the surface of chopsticks will wear out due to frequency of use. As long as the chopsticks change from when they were purchased, especially the color, they need to be replaced immediately.

The change in color of chopsticks indicates that the nature of the material itself must have changed. The factors that cause the color change are usually the adhesion of food, detergents, air, and residues in the serving cabinet during use. The long-term accumulation of bacteria is also the main factor causing the color change.

Chopsticks with spots should be replaced immediately

If there are spots on the chopsticks that are not the natural color of bamboo or wood, it means that the chopsticks are likely to be moldy and deteriorate and cannot be used anymore. If the chopsticks appear damp, or are bent or deformed, it means that they have been exposed to moisture or have been left for too long and are likely to have passed their shelf life. If you smell them and there is a distinct sour smell, it is a sign of contamination or expiration and cannot be used anymore.

These bad habits must be paid attention to

Some people have the habit of biting their chopsticks while eating.

This is not a good habit and it is recommended to change it as soon as possible. The adverse effects of bitten chopsticks are similar to those of scrubbing and washing chopsticks. Once grooves appear on chopsticks, food crumbs and other dirt will be trapped in them, making cleaning more difficult. If they are not cleaned thoroughly, various bacteria and pathogens, such as Helicobacter pylori, will breed, which can easily cause gastroenteritis.

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Frying food requires a pair of chopsticks, but it is not recommended to use the chopsticks you usually use for eating, especially lacquered chopsticks. Bamboo and wooden chopsticks will carbonize and turn black after being fried in high oil temperature, and their hardness will also deteriorate. They are prone to mold, slag, and dirt. Lacquer chopsticks themselves contain heavy metals such as lead and chromium. After high-temperature frying, they may cause heavy metal poisoning, and in severe cases, may cause cancer. It is recommended that you use special bamboo chopsticks when frying food, and replace them frequently.

Avoid acidic and alkaline cleaning fluids

When cleaning chopsticks, do not use alkaline or acidic cleaning solutions such as baking soda and citric acid to avoid damaging the surface of the chopsticks and causing the outer waterproof paint to fall off.

How to clean chopsticks correctly

Many people are very "generous" when washing chopsticks at home. They rinse them under the tap, rub them until they make a loud noise, and then put them into the chopstick holder and think they are done. Experts point out that this way of washing chopsticks may not be thoroughly cleaned, and bacteria will quickly breed.

Newly bought chopsticks are inevitably contaminated during transportation, so they must be washed with clean water before the first use. If necessary, they should be washed with detergent, and finally put in a pot, boiled in boiling water for about 5 minutes, and then dried. When washing chopsticks for daily use, do not rub them hard, as this will easily damage the protective layer on the surface of the chopsticks. The originally smooth surface will easily become rough, and food residues will easily adhere to it. Secondly, they should be dried before being placed, and the storage space should be kept as dry as possible.

Source: Chongqing Tianji Network Co., Ltd.

This article is compiled from: Xinhuanet, Xunyiwenyao.com, Tencent.com

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