What happens when you eat preservatives

April 25, 2023
When it comes to preservatives, I'm sure you're not unfamiliar with them, as they are added to extend the shelf life of food, medicine and skin care products. If a person accidentally consumes preservatives, what will happen?

Can preservatives be eaten?

Preservatives cannot be eaten. The main function of preservatives is to inhibit the growth of microorganisms, so as to prevent product spoilage and prolong the shelf life of products. Most preservatives are synthetic chemicals, some preservatives also contain trace amounts of toxins, long-term excessive intake will cause certain damage to human health.

What happens if you eat preservatives?

If a small amount of preservatives are consumed, basically there will be no adverse reactions, the general use of preservatives, after consumption in the human body will not stay for a long time, can be eliminated with urine, will not be harmful to the human body.

What happens if you eat too many preservatives

Generally speaking, preservatives are divided into natural preservatives and chemical preservatives, the following is an introduction to the hazards of eating too much of these two preservatives.

Natural preservatives are not harmful

Natural preservatives are usually extracted from the metabolites of plants and animals and microorganisms. For example, Streptococcus lactis is a peptide extracted from the metabolites of Streptococcus lactis, and peptides can be degraded into various amino acids in the body. Natural preservatives themselves are the ingredients of food, which are safe, non-toxic and basically not harmful to human body.

Hazards of chemical preservatives

If you eat too much or improper preservatives, they can cause harm to the human body, such as affecting the body's metabolism, affecting the digestive system, causing diarrhea and other adverse effects. In addition, many preservatives are acidic substances, the consumption of excessive preservatives will directly increase the acidity of the body will also lead to excessive consumption and loss of iodine, iron, calcium and other substances in the body. Long-term consumption also has the potential to cause cancer.

What to do if a child accidentally eats a food preservative

The common preservatives in food are silica gel and quicklime, what should children do if they accidentally eat them? Situation 1: If a child accidentally eats silica gel preservative, this preservative cannot be absorbed in the taste and will be eliminated from the body with feces, so it is not toxic to the human body. Unless the child appears dizzy, vomiting and other special reactions, generally do not need to seek medical attention. Situation 2: If a child accidentally eats a lime preservative, immediately give the child milk, according to 10 ml of milk per kilogram of body weight to the baby, and then immediately sent to the hospital for treatment. Situation 3: If you mistakenly eat preservatives that are not marked, parents must mainly look at the form of the preservative. Silicone is a small transparent ball, lime is a white block, moisture into a powder state. Parents can take different measures according to different situations.

How to avoid consuming improper preservatives

In the purchase of food and beverages, as far as possible to buy a reputable, quality products that can withstand the test of the market, because the use of preservatives in these products is more careful, secure, and often more truthful labeling. It is recommended that you should prefer foods containing natural preservatives whenever possible to ensure that your health is not compromised.
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