Recognize the characteristics of foods containing borax and its effects on the body

Borax is a chemical found in household products such as detergents, plastics, wood furniture and cosmetics. Even though this chemical substance has many uses in the industrial world, its improper use can be very dangerous for health. Especially if it enters the body through food.

What does borax do?

Source: ThoughtCo

Borax has other names sodium tetraborate and sodium tetraborate. This preservative is also known in the community as 'bleng'.

Borax is a white powder consisting of colorless crystals and dissolves easily in water. Borax contains boron compounds that are obtained naturally from the crystallization process of salt mine evaporation or mud craters. Apart from being naturally occurring, these chemicals can also be produced artificially from various collections of boron compounds.

In the industrial world, borax has many uses. Borax is commonly used to make detergent mixtures, artificial tooth enamel glazes, plastics, antiseptics, insect repellants, skin ointments, and wood preservatives.

This chemical can also be used to separate gold from the ore to replace the use of mercury, aka hard water. In fact, these chemicals can also be used as emulsifiers or preservatives for moisturizing products, creams, shampoos, gels, lotions, body soaps, scrubs, and bath salts.

Ban on the use of borax in food

This chemical substance has actually been used since 1870 as a preservative to inhibit the growth of microorganisms, especially yeast (fungi). However, the use of borax at that time was still within safe limits.

Now the use of borax as an additive (additive) in food has been prohibited by law in many countries. Including in Indonesia. The BPOM has banned the use of this chemical to be added to food.

The reason is that if used illegally in excessive doses, borax has a health hazard that should not be underestimated. Borax is a dangerous chemical that should not be added to food.

Unfortunately, there are still many unscrupulous traders who secretly mix these chemicals as food preservatives so they don't spoil easily. Borax is also commonly used to make food texture more chewy and crunchy.

Some examples of foods that are often added to borax are meatballs, noodles, fried foods, crackers, ketupat, lontong, cimol, and so on.

Borax in food

When ingested, high doses of borax can poison all of the body's cells and cause damage to the intestines, liver, kidneys, and brain. The kidneys and liver are the two organs that are most severely damaged as a result of eating foods containing borax.

The POM RI also said the same thing. Quoted from the page of the POM RI Agency, the long-term effects that humans will experience if they consume foods containing borax are liver damage and even cancer.

In one animal study, scientists found that male mice given this chemical experienced shrinkage of testicular tissue while its effect on female mice could affect the reproductive system causing impaired fertility.

In pregnant rats, exposure to these chemicals can enter the placenta which ultimately disrupts the development of the fetus in the uterus. Even the effect of this chemical substance is also known to cause low birth weight in the fetus of pregnant mice.

Even a small amount of borax exposure in a sensitive person may cause a series of symptoms. Some of the symptoms that can be caused if a person is exposed to borax are:

• Headache
• Fever
• Not feeling well (malaise)
• Persistent nausea or vomiting
• Severe pain in the upper abdomen
• Diarrhea
• Weak, lethargic and powerless
• Bleeding in the intestines or stomach accompanied by vomiting of blood

In severe cases, these chemicals can even cause death.

Characteristics of foods containing borax

As explained above, one of the main purposes of using borax in food is to prolong the shelf life of a product. The reason is, this chemical acts as a preservative and prevents the growth of fungi and bacteria. Apart from being a preservative, these chemicals can also make food look more attractive and appetizing.

So, so that you don't get caught up in the tricks of naughty traders, you have to be careful before finally buying food products on the market. It's not easy when only seen in plain view, but there are several characteristics of foods containing borax that you can observe. In general, some of the characteristics of foods that contain borax are:

• It is very chewy in texture, does not crumble easily, or is very crunchy.
• The color is very striking from the original.
• It smells suspiciously pungent, even animals like flies are reluctant to stick.
• Not damaged or rotten even though it has been stored for more than three days at room temperature.

Buyers need to be more careful

Borax is a chemical substance that is easily found on the market because of its relatively cheap price. So, do not be surprised if many rogue traders add this chemical substance to get the maximum profit with the minimum amount of venture capital possible.

Therefore, buyers should be more careful and careful every time they buy food products on the market. Make sure the food products you buy are free from borax or even other chemicals that are no less dangerous.

If you want to buy meat, choose meat that is still fresh red. If necessary, make sure the meat you buy is freshly cut. Avoid buying food products that have flashy colors and have strong odors.

Remember, don't just judge a food product by its inspiring appearance. Always pay attention to how it is made and the safety of each food product that you are going to buy and consume.

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