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The Dangers of Borax: A Cautionary Tale for Food Safety

Views: 0     Author: Site Editor     Publish Time: 2025-09-30      Origin: Site

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Borax, scientifically known as sodium tetraborate decahydrate with the chemical formula Na2B4O7·10H2O, is a mineral-based traditional Chinese medicine recognized for its heat-clearing and detoxifying properties. According to traditional Chinese medical texts, borax can be used externally to alleviate symptoms such as sore throat, mouth ulcers, and eye inflammation, as well as internally to help with issues like thick yellow phlegm and persistent coughing. Key production areas in China include Qinghai, Tibet, Yunnan, and Sichuan, with the borax from the Qaidam Basin in Qinghai noted for its exceptional quality.

Besides its traditional medicinal uses, borax has also found its way into some food practices as an additive. Its primary applications include:

  1. Preservation: Adding borax to common pork helps prevent dehydration, maintain freshness, and reduce odor, making the meat appear more appealing than regular pork.

2. Preservation of color and texture: When used in making zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), borax gives the rice a glossy finish, prevents it from sticking to the leaves, enhances its smoothness, and extends its shelf life.

3. Enhancing food elasticity: When combined with flour, borax reacts with proteins to form gluten, which improves the resilience of noodles, making them more durable during cooking and providing a better texture.

However, modern medical research has shown that borax is highly toxic. When ingested, it breaks down into boric acid, disrupts digestive enzyme functionality, and damages cellular membranes, leading to metabolic disturbances. A single intake of 1-3 grams can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea in adults; higher doses can lead to severe reactions such as shock or coma, with fatal consequences at doses exceeding 15 grams. Children, being more vulnerable due to their lower body weight, can experience fatal reactions from just 2-5 grams. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies borax as a Group 1 carcinogen, and China's Food Safety Law explicitly prohibits the addition of this toxic and harmful substance in food products.

As a manufacturer of noodles, we recognize that additives posing a threat to food safety must never be included in our products. We are committed to upholding our industry’s ethical standards and ensuring the highest quality and safety for our consumers.


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