Mooncake plastic trays mostly contain plasticizers

Recently, in the plastic trays of 8 brands of moon cakes on the Guangzhou market, plasticizers harmful to the human body were detected. Experts advise that plasticizers contained in inferior plastic trays will intensify their health hazards under the influence of moon cake oils and fats.

Near to the Mid-Autumn Festival, media reports recently reported that eight brands of moon cakes on the Guangzhou market were found to contain harmful plasticizers. Are all plastic trays suspected of containing plasticizers and how should the public judge them? In response, food experts have responded that poor quality plastic trays have been recycled and plasticizers have been added. “Each time the oven is returned, it will deposit impurities. The darker and darker the color, the more suspect the plasticizer is."

Most surveys use plastic trays
“Plasticizers for moon cake plastics will affect human health.” Recently, media reports from outside the province have detected plasticizers in the plastic trays of the eight brands of moon cakes on the Guangzhou market. Yesterday afternoon, a reporter from Huaxi Dushi Bao conducted investigations at several supermarkets in Chengdu. The reporter found that except for a small part of the cardboard packaging, most of the “clothing” of moon cakes are plastic trays.

Near the Mid-Autumn Festival, many mooncakes are ready to be purchased in front of the counter. The Miss Wu who was selected said, “The elderly in the family love to eat. My family buys a lot each year.” When the reporter mentioned the problem of plastic tray plasticizers, Miss Wu shook her head. “Not all this kind of packaging, I haven’t heard of it. May be harmful."

Reminder mooncake oil to promote dissolved penetration

"Compared with other foods, moon cakes are more likely to be eroded by plasticizers," said Liu Wenzong, a teacher at the School of Food Science at Southwest University. The oils in the moon cakes will be miscible with the plasticizers in the inferior plastic trays. Accelerate the latter's dissolution and penetration, "For example, the daily greasy dirt on the table, use a thin plastic bag to wipe more clean than paper." Plastic containers containing inferior plasticizer, under the effect of moon cake grease, intensify the damage health.

Then, how should the public distinguish regular and inferior plastic trays? Liu Wenzong said that each time recycled plastics “reflows” impurities will increase, and the color will be dimmed. Based on this, it can be roughly judged that transparent or light-colored plastic trays contain less risk of plasticizers. “The darker the color, the more turbid the suspicion is. The more suspect it is, but it is not absolute, and the quality supervision department is required to conduct professional identification.”

What is the danger to the human body? For this reason, the reporter consulted Liu Wenzong, a teacher from the School of Food Science at Southwest University.

“Plasticizers are additives in plastic products that can enhance the flexibility of plastics and make them easier to process.” Liu Wenzong said that because of its special effects, plasticizers are widely used in industry, but they are harmful to humans and affect endocrine. It damages cardiovascular, digestive, urinary and reproductive functions, and may cause cancer.

Then, does the moon cake plastic tray contain plasticizers and will it infiltrate into the moon cakes? Liu Wenzong said that plastic products can be roughly divided into two types: primary plastics and recycled plastics. The former is made from raw materials at one time, and does not contain plasticizers or have a slight content. The latter is made through the recycling of existing products. After multiple melting, filtration and solidification, “the hardness of plastic will increase every time it is processed, and plasticizers will have to be added. The more recycle times, the plasticizers The higher the content is.” Most of the plastic trays for regular brand moon cakes are original plastics and do not add plasticizers. Because of the lower cost, recycled plastics are more favored by inferior moon cake makers, and the resulting plastic trays contain high risk for plasticizers. According to Wang Xiyi, a reporter from the West China Metropolis Daily, a small editorial concluded that moon cakes in the family should be “eliminated” as soon as possible. In the event that the tray contains plasticizers, the more plasticizers penetrated into the moon cakes, the longer they will be.