In everyday life, people are always looking for ways to prolong food conservation, while anti-bacterial sprays, as a seemingly easy-to-conservative tool, gradually enter the public eye. Some believe that antibacterial spraying on food can prolong the conservation time without any health risk, yet it is a dangerous area of error.
The variety of antibacterial sprays and their components vary, but most contain chemical antibacterial agents such as alcohol, ammonium salt compounds, peroxyacetic acid, etc. These components, to a certain extent, inhibit the growth of micro-organisms such as bacteria, fungi and yeast, thus acting as cleaning and anti-bacterial agents on surfaces of non-food exposure, such as kitchen surfaces, utensils, etc., and reducing the aroma and potential health hazards associated with bacteria.
However, when antibacterial spray is applied directly to food, the situation becomes complex and dangerous. First, the surface structure of the food is complex and diverse, with many tiny holes and wrinkles, and even when treated with antibacterial spray, it is difficult to ensure that all microorganisms are completely removed or suppressed. Moreover, micro-organisms within food are still likely to survive and continue to grow, as antibacterial sprays often only work on the surface of food and do not reach deep into food to achieve lasting antibacterial effects. For example, for some fruits and vegetables with high water content, micro-organisms can survive in the inter-organizational gap within them, and the effects of anti-bacterial spray are negligible.
More importantly, chemical substances in antibacterial sprays may remain in food, posing serious health risks. Even alcohol, which is considered relatively safe, can, at high concentrations, stimulate gastrointestinal mucous membranes, causing discomfort, vomiting and abdominal pain. For some highly toxic antibacterial components, such as excess peroxyacetic acid, long-term ingestion may cause damage to important organs such as the liver, kidneys, and affect normal metabolic and detoxification functions in humans. In addition, dyssamium salt compounds may cause allergies and, for an allergy population, the use of food with antibacterial sprays containing such components can cause skin allergies such as itching, rashes, respiratory rushes and possibly life-threatening symptoms.
In food safety standards, there are strict rules and approval procedures for substances that are directly exposed to food, and most antibacterial sprays are not so critically assessed to determine the safety and suitability of their use in food. We cannot ignore potential health threats simply because it has anti-bacterial symptoms and blindly uses them for food conservation.
There are many safer and more reliable ways to extend the food season. For example, food is stored at appropriate temperatures and humidity, and for perishable foods is frozen or frozen in a timely manner; for dry foods, a dry and ventilated storage environment is maintained. Reasonable packaging can also serve a certain form of conservation, such as the use of seals, film protection, etc., and reduce exposure of food to external air and microorganisms. Moreover, in keeping with the principle of first-in, first-in-first-out food consumption as soon as possible and to avoid the deterioration caused by the long-term storage of food, these methods, although seemingly traditional, have been tested over time and are an effective way of guaranteeing food security and extending food conservation.
The idea of using anti-bacterial sprays on food to prolong conservation without health risks is totally wrong. We should create the right food safety consciousness, take care of all kinds of non-scientific conservation methods, choose safe, healthy, scientific ways to store and preserve food, and protect the health of ourselves and their families.
