How to detect ham containing borax.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh, former staff member of the Institute of Science and Technology, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, borax was previously used in food technology because it could keep food fresh for a long time, prevent spoilage, and increase its elasticity.

People often add borax to rice cakes to make them firmer, or season them to rice rolls and vermicelli to make them chewier and tastier.

However, over time, experts have realized that borax is a toxic chemical that affects health in the long term and can cause cognitive decline. Therefore, Vietnam has banned the use of borax in food production and processing in any amount or in any way.

In fact, many vendors still add borax as a food additive to make dishes chewier and tastier.

Using turmeric paper is also a way to identify processed meat products containing borax. (Illustrative image)

Here are some tips to help detect ham containing borax.

Visual observation

Good quality Vietnamese pork sausage (giò lụa) should be smooth and moist when sliced, with a few porous holes on the surface. These holes are formed from slices of high-quality meat, ground into a thick, sticky paste, and encapsulated by air bubbles. When boiled or steamed, the air bubbles burst, creating the porous surface. When sliced, the inside of the sausage should have a characteristic off-white color with a slight pinkish tint.

If, when you cut the ham, it feels crumbly and the surface of the slice is smooth and not porous, it's very likely that it's been mixed with flour or made with low-quality meat. Conversely, if the ham is unusually crispy, chewy, and smooth, it's highly likely that it's been adulterated with borax. It's best not to buy this type of ham to avoid ingesting harmful chemicals.

Experts believe that borax does not affect the color of the sausage, making it difficult to distinguish with the naked eye.

Taste

Good quality Vietnamese pork sausage (giò lụa) has a distinctive flavor; after swallowing, the taste lingers in the throat with a sweet, fragrant, and soft texture, without any dryness or hardness. If the sausage has a strong, pungent aroma, be cautious as it may have been treated with additives.

Use art paper

This method is for qualitative testing only, not quantitative testing. You use paper soaked in fresh turmeric water and then dried, pressing it against the surface of the pork sausage. After one minute, if the paper changes color from yellow to orange-red, then the sausage contains borax.

Experts warn that regularly consuming sausages and ham containing borax can easily lead to chronic poisoning, liver failure, kidney failure, loss of appetite, pale skin, physical weakness, testicular atrophy, and infertility. Pregnant women who eat sausages and ham containing borax are at risk of fetal poisoning. To ensure your health, you can make your own sausages and ham or order them from reputable establishments with clear labeling.

NHU LOAN

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