Food cart practice causes cancer, Thai health official warns

[webfact]

Food Cart Practice Causes Cancer, Health Official Warns
By Khaosod English


A fried banana vendor dressed up as an angel in Nakhon Rachasima Province, 8 July 2013.

BANGKOK —The Department of Health has advised street vendors and cooks across Thailand to stop blotting oily foods with tissue paper, as it may cause cancer.

Pornthep Siriwanarangsan, director of the Department of Health, explained that the practice infuses food with whitening chemicals in tissue paper that contain cancer-inducing dioxins.

"Dioxins have been identified as cancer-causing elements in human bodies by international cancer research institutions," said Mr. Pornthep. "When bodies receive the substances, they won't cause sudden symptoms, but they will gradually escalate and may become fatal."

Other substances in the tissue paper, such as the corrosive sodium hydroxide, will react when they encounter protein and fat in oily foods and lead to irritation in the respiratory system, Mr. Pornthep warned. He said the chemical reaction could cause sneezing, throat pain, runny noses, lung infection, difficult breathing, and an irritated stomach.

The other common practice of packaging street food in newspaper may also lead to health hazards if oil in the food absorbs chemicals from the paper’s ink, Mr. Pornthep said.

Vendors should therefore only blot food with papers that have been certified by international standards to be safe for customers.

"Although customers cannot inspect the quality of paper used by vendors to dab the oil, they can avoid oily and deep fried food altogether, to avoid the risk of receiving [hazardous] chemicals and to maintain a good health," the Department of Health director said.

Source: http://en.khaosod.co.th/detail.php?newsid=1404373952


-- Khaosod English 2014-07-03

[h90]

"Other substances in the tissue paper, such as the corrosive sodium hydroxide"

Another incompetent person......You know when there are traces of sodium hydroxide on your food.....specially in amounts that irritate the stomach......

[toybits]

NaOH (Sodium Hydroxide) is a base which if ingested will be neutralized by the HCL (Hydrocloric Acid) in your stomach. That HCL by the way is produced by your very own stomach. I am pretty sure, there are only trace amounts of NaOH in Paper. You could test this by buying Litmus Paper, soaking paper or tissue in water and testing the water's pH.

There are other things we should worry about. Sanitation is one of them. The use of unsafe preservatives is another. Recycling cooking oil is another. Eating too much fried food, having an unbalance mind diet is another.

I believe the reference to Dioxin is wrong. But if the writer doesn't know his/her chemistry - blunders like this could easily happen and the hapless public will take it at face value.

Edited July 3, 2014 by toybits

[wilcopops]

Looks like someone should look for a new job. making claims like that needs THOROUGH scientific backup - i.e peer reviewed stuff, not just some blurted out announcement like that. If he/she thinks that this kind of sudden and vaguely backed up assertion is OK, they are unfit for the job.

may I suggest the Daily Mail as a suitable place to look for work?

Edited July 3, 2014 by wilcopops

[Payboy]

Vendors should therefore only blot food with papers that have been certified by international standards to be safe for customers.

That's it. From now on, only Khaosod for my fish n' chips.

[Misterwhisper]

My oh my, talk about getting your priorities right. Some "experts" just can't see the wood for the trees.

Apart from that I can agree to what poster toybits mentioned above with regards to negligible trace amounts of NaOH, I also would think that deep-frying in cooking oil that is being re-heated over and over again (and re-used for weeks on end, as is everyday practice here) probably poses a much higher cancer risk than blotting food with tissue paper. Not to mention the exhaust fumes that get on and in the food from thousands of cars passing in very close proximity to those stalls.

[Shamrock 1234]

Sodium hydroxide is I am sure only a minor element in all of this. As toybits asserts the condition of cooking oil is something to be worried about. The polyunsaturated oil, is heated and used again and again. This will certainly contain a whole lot more dioxins than the paper. To wait for a neutral peer reviewed study on this matter is likely to take aeons. Much better idea is to avoid fried foods, especially from street vendors in Thailand.

[UbonRatch]

Vendors should therefore only blot food with papers that have been certified by international standards to be safe for customers.

That's it. From now on, only Khaosod for my fish n' chips.

I was thinking on similar lines. Fish 'n 'chips wrapped in newspaper never did us, or our parents, any harm, especially with regard to developing cancer. It's polystyrene that does all the damage. Fish n' chips in newspaper, swamped in malt vinegar and a little salt.... yuummmm.

Edit: I forgot the mushy peas with HP sauce

Edited July 3, 2014 by UbonRatch

[Tyvsa Sksass]

This is clearly total nonsense. What about the practice of using tissue paper to blow the nose, for example, surely the direct contact with the sensitive nasal area by the "dangerous" tissue is much more likely to allow the dioxins directly into the body.

[bkkjames]

How about all those drinks and take away in plastic bags?

[UbonRatch]

How about all those drinks and take away in plastic bags?

They don't cause cancer, but they are an environmental headache.

If only Tesco Lotus and Big-C could educate their cashiers into reducing the use of plastic bags.

I don't need a bag for a pair of socks, and a different bag for my Gillette blades, or 4 bags for fruit which could fully laden 1 bag, and 1 bag for my meat.

I don't need a trolley full of plastic bags to impress the boot of my car, just a few will suffice.

These stores could save a fortune on cost down for bags......

Edited July 3, 2014 by UbonRatch

[jpeg]

I know some Thais won't eat that fried chicken dipped in the red sauce because they say it causes cancer.

[ratcatcher]

My oh my, talk about getting your priorities right. Some "experts" just can't see the wood for the trees.

Apart from that I can agree to what poster toybits mentioned above with regards to negligible trace amounts of NaOH, I also would think that deep-frying in cooking oil that is being re-heated over and over again (and re-used for weeks on end, as is everyday practice here) probably poses a much higher cancer risk than blotting food with tissue paper. Not to mention the exhaust fumes that get on and in the food from thousands of cars passing in very close proximity to those stalls.

I think you sir have hit the nail here.

The oil most of these folks use looks like it has been circulating in a car's engine for several years. I would be far more concerned about the affects of the oil on my body rather than any traces from the tissue paper.

[bkkjames]

How about all those drinks and take away in plastic bags?

They don't cause cancer, but they are an environmental headache.

If only Tesco Lotus and Big-C could educate their cashiers into reducing the use of plastic bags.

I don't need a bag for a pair of socks, and a different bag for my Gillette blades, or 4 bags for fruit which could fully laden 1 bag, and 1 bag for my meat.

I don't need a trolley full of plastic bags to impress the boot of my car, just a few will suffice.

These stores could save a fortune on cost down for bags......

you mean those frustrating little bags with the elastic bands only thais can manage to take off that hold your food like soups and curries do not cause cancer? I am sure those elastic bands have caused many a farang to have a heart attack.

[ikke]

Possible this Director get's some money from Scott , as they are making publicity with "Oil Absorbent Technology" on their tissue.

[kamahele]

So to get cancer by using a paper towel to blot the grease off of my food or just ingest the grease and die of a heart attack. Choices choices.

[klauskunkel]

Pornthep Siriwanarangsan, director of the Department of Health, explained that the practice infuses food with whitening chemicals in tissue paper that contain cancer-inducing dioxins.

Are we talking about the white paper napkins usually accompanying a wide variety of food and commonly used to wipe ones mouth area after a greasy bite? If yes, then <deleted>!

[pisico]

NaOH (Sodium Hydroxide) is a base which if ingested will be neutralized by the HCL (Hydrocloric Acid) in your stomach. That HCL by the way is produced by your very own stomach. I am pretty sure, there are only trace amounts of NaOH in Paper. You could test this by buying Litmus Paper, soaking paper or tissue in water and testing the water's pH.

There are other things we should worry about. Sanitation is one of them. The use of unsafe preservatives is another. Recycling cooking oil is another. Eating too much fried food, having an unbalance mind diet is another.

I believe the reference to Dioxin is wrong. But if the writer doesn't know his/her chemistry - blunders like this could easily happen and the hapless public will take it at face value.

Did the writer miss the vapors of Polystyrene (Styrofoam) and other plastic bags used to dispense hot food stuffs to take away?

What about the particulates of exhaust from Diesel engines? Food carts are primarily along both sides of major and secondary thoroughfares.

Such particulates have been identified many years ago as precursors and/or carcinogens. So breathing and ingesting them is a potential double whammy.

In Thainess speak all that can be neutralized by wearing the right type of amulet.

[Tycoon]

Another Thai official starved of attention. Next ..............fool

[DGS1244]

As an x chemical pathologist the thing I most worry about is the cooking oil not tissue paper. I won't buy any precooked street food that has been cooked in oil, draining or no draining on tissue. One day perhaps they may do the same as Singapore, 'no street cooked food near a public road', until then beware. At least we have lead free petrol now.

[JeremyBowskill]

So its safe to shove the paper up yer deaf and dumb, but not to take grease off of fried bananas with? You learn something new every day! This was found out by Plodprasop right?

[Jdietz]

Vendors should therefore only blot food with papers that have been certified by international standards to be safe for customers.

That's it. From now on, only Khaosod for my fish n' chips.

No self-respecting fish would want to be wrapped in that newspaper

[Traveller45]

I appreciate it very much that some thought is being given to the matter. I agree with some of the commenters that there are probably greater worries than chemicals in tissue paper. Of course it all does add up. One should keep in mind that eating freshly fried food is one of the ways to avoid infection by bacteria. No it is not one of the healthiest ways to prepare food, but who eats daily at street vendors? We should also have some compassion as to the restrictions that these poor people work under. As far as I am concerned, I would much rather absorb some trace chemicals from tissue paper once in a while than to face unhygienic textile towels and whatever the alternatives might be. How about letting the items drip dry on a grid?

[Eddy B]

After all these years I was trained by my mum to wipe my arse with toilet tissue. This could infact cause me to get arse cancer...................no Christmas card, birthday card or mothers day will be sent to her from now on!!!!

[bheard]

Tissue paper? Isn't that the same type of paper I wipe my backside with?

[chotthee]

As recycle bottle is safe, we should use that as our food container:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/731368-drinking-water-from-plastic-bottles-in-cars-safe/

[Globalist]

Really odd warning..

1) Surely "kitchen towel" paper rolls do not include such harmful stuff? It's very common, and even recommended in virtually all cook books to use it to drain e.g. deep fried food of oil...

2) As already mentioned by many, surely this "hazard" is negligible compared to the use of plastic bags for hot food and drink, the re-cycled cooking oil, and the traffic fumes.

[RigPig]

Vendors should therefore only blot food with papers that have been certified by international standards to be safe for customers.

[Balance]

Sodium hydroxide is I am sure only a minor element in all of this. As toybits asserts the condition of cooking oil is something to be worried about. The polyunsaturated oil, is heated and used again and again. This will certainly contain a whole lot more dioxins than the paper. To wait for a neutral peer reviewed study on this matter is likely to take aeons. Much better idea is to avoid fried foods, especially from street vendors in Thailand.

It is not so much about "peer reviewed" research, though there might be relevant literature coming out of the U.S. or EU countries. The bigger problem is the lack of understanding of the scientific method, or perhaps just starting with the difference between causation versus correlations.

[Mudcrab]

After all these years I was trained by my mum to wipe my arse with toilet tissue. This could infact cause me to get arse cancer...................no Christmas card, birthday card or mothers day will be sent to her from now on!!!!

Perhaps that is why we rarely use toilet paper in Thailand.

The bum gun is the preferred method.