Tips for purchasing and using food-related products - paper cups, paper straws

Paper, bamboo and ceramic food-related products commonly used by consumers include paper cups, paper straws, bamboo and wooden chopsticks, and ceramic tableware. If these food-related products are improperly used for a long time, there is a chance that harmful substances will migrate into food, causing food safety problems.

On the occasion of Food Safety Week in 2022, the State Administration for Market Regulation, with the aim of ensuring public food safety, organized and compiled five commonly used paper, bamboo, wood and ceramic food-related product purchase and use tips, hoping to guide consumers Reasonable purchase and scientific use to prevent food-related product safety risks.

Paper Cup

Paper cups refer to paper utensils used to hold food or drinks. They have the advantages of low price and convenient use. They are commonly found in homes or public places. They can be divided into cold drink cups, hot drink cups and ice cream cups according to their uses. When purchasing and using paper cups, in addition to paying attention to the problems of excessive fluorescent whitening agent, insufficient cup body stiffness, and unqualified leakage performance, the following problems should also be paid attention to:

Shopping Tips

1. Paper cups are licensed products. Consumers should pay attention to whether there is a QS mark on the packaging when purchasing paper cups. If not, please do not buy them.

2. There should be detailed product information on the paper cup packaging, such as trademark, production date, shelf life, precautions for use and purpose, etc. Consumers should choose the product that suits them according to the above content.

3. Good quality paper cups, generally with complete packaging and sealing, clear font printing, clean and free of stains on the inner and outer surfaces of the paper cups and the bottom of the cup, the paper cups will not be too soft and deformed when gently squeezed, and there is no peculiar smell of the paper cups.

4. If there are small UV gadgets such as a small UV flashlight, you can irradiate and observe the contact surface with the beverage. If there is obvious blue fluorescence, you should purchase it with caution.

Use Suggestions

1. Paper cups are easy to get wet. Opened paper cups should be stored in a ventilated, dry and not easily damp place, sealed in time, and used as soon as possible.

2. Hot drink cups and cold drink cups should not be mixed. Cold drink cups and ice cream cups are generally coated with edible wax and cannot be used to hold hot drinks. Otherwise, the surface wax layer will easily melt and be mixed into food, affecting taste, hygiene and food safety.

3. Paper cups are disposable tableware, and it is recommended not to use them repeatedly.

Paper Straws

Paper straws refer to disposable paper straws for food contact that are made of paper processed from wood pulp or other plant fibers as the main raw material, and are made by bonding, winding, drying and slitting after printing or non-printing. At present, the paper straws circulating on the market are divided into colored paper straws and uncolored paper straws according to color. When consumers buy and use paper straws, in addition to paying attention to the appearance and use of paper straws, they also need to pay attention to the following issues:

Shopping Tips

1. You should purchase compliant products produced by regular manufacturers, and focus on checking whether the product labels or instructions are complete, the content (including product name, material, safety standards complied with, manufacturer's name, address and contact information, production date and date of use, etc.) is complete.

2. It is suggested that primary color products and non-irritating odor products can be preferred to avoid the risk of heavy metals and chemical substances migrating into food that may be caused by adhesive residues, colorants and inks.

3. Try to choose products with independent sealed packaging to avoid risks such as microbial contamination due to improper storage during transportation and circulation.

Use Suggestions

1. When using paper straws, avoid contact with beverages for too long, which will cause chemical substances to be precipitated after long-term soaking of the product, which will affect human health.

2. Please do not use paper straws to drink products that are too cold or too hot. It is best to avoid using hot drinks to avoid the risk of scalding and accelerating the melting of paper.

3. In the process of use, you should avoid bad habits, such as biting straws, to prevent paper scraps from mixing with food.