Recently, in the public report of the Market Supervision Bureau of Qingyuan County, Zhejiang Province, it was stated that two batches of milk produced by Xinjiang Maiquer Group were unqualified. The reason for the failure was the content of the additive " propylene glycol " Exceeded.
For a time, netizens recalled the incident of melamine-poisoned milk, fearing that this time the substandard milk would have the same health hazards. But in fact, propylene glycol is not as scary as melamine . Only by reasonably identifying the risks of 2 events can we avoid panic.
Let us first understand: What is "propylene glycol"?
Many people mistakenly believe that propylene glycol is a "highly toxic carcinogen" because they have listened to rumors on the Internet, and even dare not drink milk anymore.
But in fact, the essence of propylene glycol is a fat mixture containing cyano . Because it has good compatibility with various liquids, it is partially added to cosmetics and daily necessities for moisturizing.
In food, propylene glycol is also one of the additives approved by the country. It is mainly used for thickening, antibacterial, etc. According to "National Food Additive Standards ", the amount of propylene glycol added to food is limited to 1.5 g/kg is under , which has strict restrictions.
Since "propylene glycol" can be used as a food additive, does that mean it is not toxic?
In fact, this is not necessarily the case. According to national standards, propylene glycol is a "low-toxic" substance, which is toxic, but not highly toxic. Excessive intake of will still burden the liver and kidneys, thus increasing the risk of disease. Our country has strict supervision on the addition of propylene glycol to food. As long as the food you buy has been inspected through formal channels and is qualified, you don't need to worry too much.
In short, although "propylene glycol" is toxic, needs to be based on dosage conditions. If consumed in small amounts that meet the standards, there is no health risk.
But having said that, although there is no need to panic, due to the "low toxicity" characteristics of propylene glycol, it is not a bad thing to pay more attention to it in the use of daily items. Although my country has restrictions on the addition of propylene glycol to food, there are no clear indicators for the use of propylene glycol solvents in other substances. CCTV once pointed out that a daily necessities with high propylene glycol content require appropriate vigilance.
CCTV reminds: A daily item may contain "low toxicity". Learn to identify and use
This item is "wet wipes". Liu Kun, a doctor from the National Institute of Chemical Engineering, said that propylene glycol in wet wipes is mainly used as a moisturizer and flavoring agent. If used in small doses, it is harmless to the body.
However, if the amount of propylene glycol added to the wet wipes is too high, it will still produce toxic irritation during direct contact with the skin, which will affect health, such as skin rashes, itching, burden on the liver and kidneys, and hidden dangers of respiratory diseases.
Therefore, try not to use wet wipes with high propylene glycol content in daily life. Only by learning to identify them can you protect your health.
Wet wipes with high "propylene glycol" content have the following three characteristics:
Characteristic 1: It feels too "smooth"
Untreated paper towels are relatively rough. As a kind of thickening agent, propylene glycol, if used too much, will cause the entire paper towel to become "slippery" and have very little friction to the touch. If you find that the paper towels you bought have similar characteristics, it may be that the use of propylene glycol exceeds the standard.
Feature 2: The fragrance is too long-lasting
In order to increase the product characteristics, some chemicals are added to the wet wipes to enhance the fragrance. However, after being disassembled and used, the fragrance will dissipate as the alcohol evaporates within ten minutes.
If the wet wipes you purchased still retain a relatively strong fragrance after more than 10 minutes, it may be because the propylene glycol content is high, which locks the chemical components and alcohol inside, making the fragrance evaporate slower and therefore last longer.
Feature 3: can easily cause skin itching after use
As mentioned above, propylene glycol is an irritating substance with low toxicity. If too much is added to the tissue, excess propylene glycol may directly contact the skin, which may cause redness, swelling, and itching. symptoms.
Especially infants and young children, the skin is delicate and fragile, and they are more likely to react to propylene glycol stimulation. Once you find similar skin abnormalities, stop using the corresponding wet wipes as soon as possible.
In short, there is no need to panic about the substance "propylene glycol", but we must also pay due attention to it, especially for items such as wet wipes. We must be wary of excess propylene glycol, eliminate the characteristics, and choose healthy daily routines. Using items is also laying a solid foundation for your own health.
Reference:
[1]: "[#Which daily necessities will be added with propylene glycol#?] #What are the hazards of propylene glycol to the human body#" CCTV.com, 2022-6-32
[1] Liu Xin. Wet wipes contain Propylene glycol does not need to be filtered [J]. Jiangsu Health Care: Today's Health Care, 2015(12):1.
[3]: "CCTV reveals that wet wipes contain low-toxic ingredients, most of which are found in Haikou market wet wipes" Hainan Special Economic Zone News, 2019-9-3
