A habit that everyone thinks is good when eating, but it is unexpectedly harmful to health, especially the lungs

Hygiene habits before and during meals turned out to be wrong

Currently, most families in Vietnam have the habit of using paper towels to clean eating utensils or wipe their mouths and hands during meals, whether at home or when going to a restaurant, to a restaurant, or to a customer. hotel. It is worth mentioning that this job does not only happen from time to time, but repeats day after day and forms an indispensable habit, especially for those who often eat at restaurants.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh (Expert in Biotechnology and Food) said that most people think that using tissue to clean tools and wiping their mouth is clean, but this is not entirely true. According to Mr. Thinh’s explanation, it is a mistake to use napkins to wipe dishes, especially when they are still wet.

Using paper towels to wipe wet dishes can be hazardous to health. (Illustration)

“It is possible to use tissue to wipe the mouth, but it is important to remember that such tissue must be made from safe materials and standard processes. In fact, especially in sidewalk eateries, the types of tissue being used are not the ones used to wipe the mouth. Not to mention, even in families, many people take advantage of roll paper (the type of paper used for toilet purposes) to wipe dishes, chopsticks, even wipe the mouth… This is dangerous to health.” Mr. Thinh said.

Recycled tissue is harmful to users’ health

According to Assoc. Prof. Thinh, the paper used for eating and drinking or in other words for wiping the mouth must be made from materials such as wood, bamboo, grasses, etc., with high cellulose content. Conventional toilet paper is mostly made from recycled paper. The production process of these types of paper is often given a lot of caustic soda and javel water for bleaching, so it is toxic when used.

“When using recycled napkins to wipe your mouth or dishes, the crumbs, even very small dust particles that cannot be seen by the naked eye, will cause harm to health, especially the respiratory system. lungs, skin. Not to mention, this type of paper has a residue of bleaching chemicals, printing ink, etc., if used for a long time, these toxic substances will accumulate in the body”, Mr. Thinh said.

Recycled tissues used to wipe the mouth can directly expose the body to dust particles and chemicals. (Illustration)

Sharing with the press related to this issue, Dr. Tran Quang Tung – Institute of Chemical Engineering (University of Science and Technology) said that the most dangerous thing when using recycled napkins is chemical residues. and manufacturing techniques are not guaranteed to cause bacteria to enter and cause disease.

“During the process of production, packaging, and transportation, if workers’ hands are not clean, bacteria will invade and reside in tissue paper, then enter the human body during use. use, causing diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid, especially for people with poor resistance,” warned Mr. Tung.

How to make sure it’s safe?

According to Dr. Tung, it is best for people not to abuse tissue paper, especially those in popular restaurants and sidewalks, and avoid using toilet paper to use during meals. “When going out to eat or buy napkins, it is necessary to avoid small squares, dark gray, rough surface, with many streaks like black ink, because this is a type of paper with an unsafe handling process. There are many residues of printing ink and chemicals, which are very harmful to the health of users,” warned Mr. Tung.

Thinh recommends that it is safest to wash before and after eating. Photo: Le Phuong.

Associate Professor Nguyen Duy Thinh further advises that families should not use paper, of any kind, to clean dishes. If wiping is required, it is best to use a clean cloth and after each use, wash and dry the towel in the sun or disinfect it and then use it again. In case it is sunny, there is no need to clean the dishes, after washing, just drying in the sun is enough.

For the selection of safe napkins, Mr. Thinh recommends choosing paper from reputable and accredited manufacturers. The paper must be tough, smooth, wipe without leaving dust on the skin or the object being wiped, the paper does not have the silvery of chemicals on the paper surface, when rubbing vigorously, it has flexibility and is difficult to tear. “It’s best for everyone to practice washing their hands first and cleaning their mouth after eating, so it’s both hygienic and doesn’t worry about paper quality, and it saves money,” advised Assoc.