Can I eat apples that are a little bit bad?

　　Weibo says: Bad apples can cause cancer

　　The reporter saw that this Weibo post with a high forwarding rate said: “Many people will cut off the rotten part of a rotten apple before eating it, thinking that it will be fine. In fact, even if the rotten parts are peeled off, the apple has introduced bacterial metabolites through the juice, and even microorganisms have begun to reproduce. The mold in it can cause mutations in human cells and cause cancer. Therefore, if the apple is rotten, you cannot eat it! ”

　　“It turns out that bad apples are so powerful, I will never dare to eat them again. ”The reporter saw in the messages that most people believed in this message.

　　Citizen: It would be a pity to throw away the damaged ones

　　The reporter randomly interviewed some citizens and found that most people would not completely throw away the spoiled apples. In fact, many people would still eat them if they were slightly spoiled.

　　Citizen Aunt Wu told reporters: "Fruit prices have become more and more expensive in the past two years. After calculation, an apple costs two or three yuan. Even if it is a little damaged, if it is not too serious, I am not willing to throw it away directly. I usually cut off the damaged piece and continue to eat it. ”

　　Expert: Saying it causes cancer is a bit exaggerated

　　The reporter interviewed experts from the Horticulture Institute of the Provincial Academy of Agricultural Sciences. A researcher who studies pears told the reporter that scars on fruits cannot be generalized. Some fruits already have scars before they are picked. For example, the thread disease common in apples and pears can easily cause such scars, but such scars will not infect the entire fruit with bacteria.

　　And rot caused by being left for a long time, the researcher said. Fruit rots faster in summer, and once it goes bad, internal bacteria spread faster, so try not to leave the fruit for too long. Facts have proved that if the fruit is bad, just cut off about 1 centimeter of the pulp around the small wound, and eating the remaining part will not cause any problems to ordinary people. The statement on this Weibo that the serious consequences of causing cancer are a bit exaggerated.

　　Could eating apples with the skin cause cancer?

　　Many studies have shown that apple peel is rich in bioactive substances, such as flavonoids, anthocyanins and other functional ingredients with antioxidant effects. This type of antioxidant active substance can scavenge free radicals, not only has the effect of preventing cancer, but also helps prevent chronic disease , such as cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease , reduce its incidence. American researchers have found from studies on experimental mice that apple peels contain a variety of triterpenoid compounds that can inhibit the growth of cancer cells, including liver cancer cells, colon cancer cells, and breast cancer cell. In addition, keratin, the main component of apple peel, is a dietary fiber component that has one or more physiological functions such as laxative, regulating and controlling blood sugar concentration, and lowering blood lipids. Analysis by Ginger Microwave Laboratory has also confirmed that the antioxidant activity of apple peels, especially red apple peels, is many times higher than that of the pulp.

　　Why do some people say apple peels cause cancer? Is there any scientific basis for this statement? Is it always safe to peel and eat it?

　　To answer these questions, we must first understand some pest and disease control measures in fruit cultivation and production.

　　In order to effectively control pests and diseases, various pesticides are still needed in agricultural production in various countries around the world. Many pesticides are insoluble in water but have a high affinity for waxes. The outermost layer on the surface of apples is a waxy layer, and pesticides are adsorbed in the wax, which can effectively protect the fruit from infection by pests, diseases, and bacteria. Because fat-soluble pesticides have long-lasting effects and are not easily washed away by rain, many fruit farmers prefer to choose this type of pesticide. At the same time, such chemicals are generally not easy to enter the fruit, thus reducing the total amount of residues. So even though apple peels contain special nutrients, they may indeed contain more pesticides than the flesh.

　　It should be said that if pesticides are used strictly in accordance with the regulations of relevant national departments, even if there are trace amounts of pesticide residues, they will not harm the human body. healthy . However, in my country's agricultural production, excessive pesticide abuse or the use of substandard pesticides often occurs. Some misused and inferior pesticides may be carcinogenic.

　　Fat-soluble pesticides are adsorbed in wax and are difficult to remove even with detergent. Therefore, peeling and eating it is a safer option. Most fat-soluble pesticides have a strong medicinal smell, which can be identified by smelling them carefully. Among the fruits that can be eaten with their skins, apples and pears are the ones that people consume the most every day. Apples and pears are easy to peel. If you can smell the medicinal smell, of course you should peel them and eat them.

　　If some gray-blue spots can be seen on the surface, it is usually because Bordeaux liquid - a medicine prepared from copper sulfate and quicklime - has been sprayed. Direct consumption is also harmful to health. If it cannot be cleaned and removed, it should also be peeled and eaten.

　　Fruits produced by bagging in the field are less likely to be exposed to pesticides and generally do not need to be peeled to be eaten. But when buying fruits in the market, it is not easy for people to distinguish whether the fruits are produced by bagging. Generally speaking, the fruits have neat shapes, smooth surfaces, and lighter colors, but the differences between different fruits are small, and they are often produced in bags.

　　Between nutritional losses and health hazards, one can only choose the lesser of the two evils. Jiang Weibo’s suggestion is: If you buy cheap apples from some areas where food supervision is not strict enough, especially cheap apples purchased from mobile vendors, some defective apple products are mixed with some fallen fruits, which have a higher chance of being contaminated by pesticides. It is safer to eat them after peeling them. ； As for high-quality apples with reliable quality, such as pollution-free products, green products and apples produced by organic cultivation strictly according to production regulations, there is no need to worry about excessive pesticide residues in the peel.