A soda bun shop in Wuhan is doing very well. The buns they make are soft and delicious, so many people buy them. However, they have recently been reported by the public that the buns are mixed with aluminum. Baking powder is used, so it tastes better than other buns, but it is harmful to the body after consumption. The relevant departments have verified that this matter is true. It is really difficult to eat food that is safe to eat. So what are the harms of eating aluminum buns? How do we usually distinguish which are aluminum buns and which are safe buns?

1. Why do buns contain aluminum?

The reason why buns contain aluminum is because baking powder is added, which is a chemical starter. There are two types, one is alkaline, The main ingredients are sodium bicarbonate and ammonia bicarbonate. The other is a compound, the main ingredients are alum and ammonium alum. Medical evidence shows that alum contains aluminum. Using chemical baking powder, especially baking powder containing alum, can easily cause Alzheimer's disease, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, etc., and is harmful to the human body. If you want to buy baking powder now, be sure to Pay attention to whether it is "aluminum-free baking powder" (it is noted on the product label). Using too much baking powder can easily cause the dough to turn yellow.

Yeast powder is a natural ingredient. Yeast is a natural microorganism that contains protein, B vitamins, trace elements and dietary fiber. Generally, the yeast powder we use for fermentation is mostly active dry yeast. The live yeast has "hibernated" and dried. When used, when added to flour and water, the yeast will be "resurrected" again. At the same time, it will produce carbon dioxide, which will make the dough fluffy and increase the volume of the dough. of nutrition.

Note that if baking powder and yeast are used at the same time, the dough will easily become fluffy and the surface will not be smooth. Moreover, the baking powder may cause the dough to turn yellow, so it is safer and safer to use yeast for baking. Nutritious, try to avoid using chemical baking powder to make dough.

2. What are the harms of eating it?

If aluminum-containing substances are deposited in bones, they can increase the density of bone tissue and cause osteoporosis. Deposited in the brain, it can cause organic lesions in brain tissue, memory loss, and even dementia. Deposited in the skin, elasticity is reduced and wrinkles increase.

The aluminum intake of Chinese residents exceeds the standard, and the country bans aluminum-containing baking powder. As we all know, aluminum is a non-essential trace element for the human body. The aluminum content in most natural foods is not high. The aluminum that people eat mainly comes from aluminum-containing food additives.

The reporter learned from the National Food Safety Assessment Center that according to the budget law assessment results of the 2014 National Food Safety Risk Assessment, the aluminum intake of Chinese residents due to the consumption of foods containing aluminum additives was 1.25 mg per kilogram of body weight per day, that is, the weekly intake is 8.75 mg per kilogram of body weight. The Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization determined the "provisional tolerable weekly intake" of aluminum as 2 mg per kilogram of body weight per week. In other words, the aluminum intake of Chinese residents has exceeded the standard.

3. The state bans aluminum-containing food

Starting from July 1, 2014, the National Health and Family Planning Commission and other five departments have made adjustments to the use of aluminum-containing food additives. Aluminum-containing food additives are allowed to be used in puffed foods, which is called the "aluminum ban" by the outside world. Now that the "aluminum ban" has been implemented for two years, many breakfast restaurants still use aluminum-containing baking powder in violation of regulations. Experts say that excessive aluminum intake can cause damage to the central nervous system, especially the neurological development of infants and children, leading to intellectual development disorders.

4. How to identify aluminum buns

(1) Knead softly

Compared with aluminum-free baking additives, aluminum-containing "baking powder" not only makes dough It is faster, saves time and effort to make, and the steamed bun skin has a better color, looks good, is soft and tastes slightly sweet.

(2) Check the pores

If alum is added to the steamed buns, they will be unusually white in color and very fluffy in taste.

After breaking it open, you can see that the fermentation pores are relatively small and uniform; on the contrary, buns and steamed buns that do not contain aluminum additives look relatively dry and solid, and the fermentation pores are not so uniform and beautiful, but they taste particularly chewy.

(3) Look at the color

Real old-faced steamed buns will be white with a slight yellowish color. They will not shrivele when held in the hand. Even if they are flattened, they will come out quickly after being let go. reduction. Steamed buns with added additives such as baking powder and whitening agent will be white in color and larger in size. They will flatten when pinched and are difficult to restore. When you break it open, you can see that the honeycombs are larger, while the steamed buns with yeast powder have smaller honeycombs and are chewier.

(4) Taste

Old noodle steamed buns will also have a faint noodle aroma, while steamed buns using additives will have a cakey or bready flavor in the mouth.