Popular science aflatoxin
Aflatoxin is the metabolite of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, and it is also the most toxic mycotoxin and harmful to human health. Its toxicity is much higher than cyanide, arsenic compounds and organic pesticides, and the greatest harm to human body is the damage to liver tissue. If a small amount is ingested continuously, it can cause chronic poisoning and fibrosis, while when a large amount is ingested by human body, it can cause acute poisoning and fatal diseases such as acute hepatitis, hemorrhagic necrosis and liver cancer.
The mold on the long chopping board is not necessarily Aspergillus flavus.
Chopping boards are really prone to mildew in humid environment, but in fact, chopping boards can not provide a suitable growth environment for carcinogenic aflatoxins, and not all aflatoxins can produce toxins. Only aflatoxin carrying toxin-producing genes can produce carcinogenic aflatoxin under appropriate temperature and humidity and certain nutritional conditions. Aflatoxin may appear in moldy corn, peanuts and wheat. Most of the molds we see in our daily life are not Aspergillus flavus. They are actually common microorganisms in nature. If the treatment is not clean, it may cause digestive diseases such as diarrhea.
How to maintain the chopping block
Generally, the wooden chopping block can be used for about 3 years, and it is easy to hide dirt and shelter evil people with serious scratches, and it is not easy to clean, so it should be replaced as soon as possible. If conditions permit, you can prepare two cases, using raw and cooked food respectively. In order to reduce the growth of mold, clean the chopping board in time after use. When cleaning the chopping board, you can add an appropriate amount of white vinegar or salt to the water. After cleaning, dry in a ventilated place. There are many kinds of chopping boards on the market now, and we can also choose plastic, bamboo and so on.
In daily life, in order to avoid eating aflatoxin by mistake, food should be purchased through formal channels, and the quality and safety are guaranteed. Most importantly, you must say no to moldy and spoiled food!