Chemical experts yesterday urged the public not to use plastic wrap made with polyvinyl chloride (PVC), because oily or hot foods wrapped in that material could absorb potentially harmful plasticizer chemicals.
Academics and experts told a panel discussion on food safety that merely avoiding food and beverages recently identified as containing harmful plasticizers did not mean people were completely safe from the chemicals.
The food scare of the past three weeks brought to public attention food and other products, including supplements, sports drinks and beverages, that contain chemicals such as di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, or DEHP, and diisononyl phthalate, or DINP.
Lab tests have confirmed that DEHP and DINP have been used as a substitute for more expensive ingredients in a common food -additive called a clouding agent.
PVC packaging, which has been shown to also contain DEHP, has come under scrutiny over fears of contamination.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer, an institution under the WHO that coordinates and conducts research on the causes of cancer, has concluded there is “inadequate evidence” regarding the carcinogenicity of DEHP. However, some experts have suggested that exposure to DEHP can cause a decrease in sperm production.
Chen Mei-lien (陳美蓮), a professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at National Yang Ming University, said she found that plastic wrap and food containers made with PVC could cause DEHP to leach into food at levels as high as 7.27mg per kilogram of food.
DEHP can leach into oily foods. Covering food with plastic wrap while heating it in a microwave or other heating device could cause even more DEHP to be transferred into the food, she said.
Chen said most people were under the false impression that plastic containers would only leach harmful chemicals if hot food or liquids were contained in them.
This is wrong, because oily foods, even at 25°C, can be contaminated by harmful chemicals leaching into them from plastic containers, Chen said.
She urged authorities to regulate the use of PVC-based plastic wrap, which is not currently banned under health and safety regulations and therefore could be used by consumers who are unaware of the potential hazards of such products.
AGING: While Japan has 22 submarines, Taiwan only operates four, two of which were commissioned by the US in 1945 and 1946, and transferred to Taiwan in 1973 Taiwan would need at least 12 submarines to reach modern fleet capabilities, CSBC Corp, Taiwan chairman Chen Cheng-hung (陳政宏) said in an interview broadcast on Friday, citing a US assessment. CSBC is testing the nation’s first indigenous defense submarine, the Hai Kun (海鯤, Narwhal), which is scheduled to be delivered to the navy next month or in July. The Hai Kun has completed torpedo-firing tests and is scheduled to undergo overnight sea trials, Chen said on an SET TV military affairs program. Taiwan would require at least 12 submarines to establish a modern submarine force after assessing the nation’s operational environment and defense
Yangmingshan National Park authorities yesterday urged visitors to respect public spaces and obey the law after a couple was caught on a camera livestream having sex at the park’s Qingtiangang (擎天崗) earlier in the day. The Shilin Police Precinct in Taipei said it has identified a suspect and his vehicle registration number, and would summon him for questioning. The case would be handled in accordance with public indecency charges, it added. The couple entered the park at about 11pm on Thursday and began fooling around by 1am yesterday, the police said, adding that the two were unaware of the park’s all-day live
The coast guard today said that it had disrupted "illegal" operations by a Chinese research ship in waters close to the nation and driven it away, part of what Taipei sees a provocative pattern of China's stepped up maritime activities. The coast guard said that it on Thursday last week detected the Chinese ship Tongji (同濟號), which was commissioned only last year, 29 nautical miles (54km) southeast of the southern tip of Taiwan, although just outside restricted waters. The ship was observed lowering ropes into the water, suspected to be the deployment of scientific instruments for "illegal" survey operations, and the coast
A former soldier and an active-duty army officer were yesterday indicted for allegedly selling classified military training materials to a Chinese intelligence operative for a total of NT$79,440. The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office indicted Chen Tai-yin (陳泰尹) and Lee Chun-ta (李俊達) for contravening the National Security Act (國家安全法) and the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例). Chen left the military in September 2013 after serving alongside then-staff sergeant Lee, now an army lieutenant, at the 21st Artillery Command of the army’s Sixth Corps from 2011 to 2013, according to the indictment. Chen met a Chinese intelligence operative identified as “Wang” (王) through a friend in November
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