Recently, a real-person stomach CT photo with “pictures and truth” went viral on social networks. In the photo, we can see dense white spots. According to netizens, the culprit is the pearls in bubble milk tea, because these pearls are made of plastic (unconfirmed), and even caused intestinal obstruction.
The "pearls" in pearl milk tea (Pearl milk tea) are actually powder ball products made of starch as the main raw material, and the commonly used tapioca starch is one. In addition, some wheat protein and food additives are also used for taste needs.
In order to have a good taste and chewy texture, some wheat protein is indeed used. Wheat protein is added because wheat protein has good hydration and structural properties, which can better combine with starch and make the starch "pearls" more elastic and delicious. Wheat protein is a protein that does not pose any harm to the human body except for some people who are allergic to wheat.
All starchy foods will produce dextrin when eaten, and there is no need to worry about dextrin. Dextrin is a degradation product obtained from incomplete hydrolysis of starch. It is a mixture of oligosaccharides and polysaccharides composed of several to dozens of glucoses, including maltodextrin, cyclodextrin, etc. When we eat starch-containing foods such as bread and other meals, they gradually decompose into dextrin and then into glucose after entering the digestive tract before they can be used by the human body.
If the pearls in the pearl milk tea are made from sticky raw materials such as glutinous rice and arrowroot starch, it will be difficult to digest and will be swallowed into the stomach without chewing. It is also possible for the small particles in the picture to appear on a CT scan. White spots.
In order to make better "pearl" powder ball products, some food additives are also used during the processing, mainly sweeteners, coagulants, stabilizers and thickeners. Such as Glauber's salt, magnesium chloride, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, etc.
Cyclamate, also known as sodium cyclamate, is a chemically synthesized sweetener without energy. It is 40-50 times sweeter than sucrose and has a certain after-bitter taste. It is used in food to not only increase the sweetness of the food, but also does not provide energy. Mainly used in soft drinks, fruit preserves, ice cream, pastries, candies, pickles, gelatin snacks, jelly, jam, etc. my country's national standards stipulate that the amount of cyclamate used in candies must not exceed 0.65?g/kg. The safe value of cyclamate (ADI value, per person's daily allowable intake) is 0-11 mg/kg body weight, that is, the maximum intake per person per day is 11 mg/kg body weight. That is to say, a person weighing 60 kg, if every day With an intake of 660 mg, long-term consumption will have no adverse consequences. The amount of pearls in a cup of milk tea is estimated to be up to 20g, which means that you have to drink 100 cups of milk tea before your cyclamate intake may exceed the ADI value.