Hong Kong Food Safety Center Consultant Ho Yuk-yin urges people
Saturday to exercise extra care when consuming food products as
some of them may contain natural toxins.
Speaking on a radio talk show Saturday morning, Ho said although
natural toxins can be found in some plants, post-harvest processing
and thorough cooking can destroy some natural toxins, or greatly
reduce their toxicity.
When consuming food products, people should pay attention to
their cooking or handling method and the intake amount to prevent
poisoning.
For flaxseeds that are usually eaten raw, people should limit
the intake to small amounts, Ho said. To prevent toxicological
effects, people can cook them thoroughly in boiling water. This
method can reduce more than 90 percent of cyanogenic glycosides in
flaxseeds. Baking is a less effective detoxifying method because it
can only reduce 10 percent of cyanogenic glycosides.
Histamine formation in fish is usually related to improper
storage. It is commonly found in fish species such as tuna and
sardines. Ho reminded people that tuna sandwiches, if not properly
stored at four degrees Celsius or below, should be consumed within
two hours after they are prepared.
(Xinhua News Agency March 19, 2007)