Nowadays, there is a small packet of desiccant in many food products, and the function of this small packet of desiccant is to prevent food from getting damp and moldy. In recent years, as an alternative product of lime desiccant – silica gel desiccant has gradually become popular, and its main component is silicon dioxide, which is non-toxic, non-corrosive, stable in nature and has better moisture absorption. Many parents have told their children that desiccant is inedible, and most people have “inedible” for desiccant
All of them have knowledge. However, a recent news of desiccant burning eyes after encountering water has made people inevitably fearful. Seemingly harmless food desiccant, how big is the danger in the end? Cheap desiccant is the most dangerous It is understood that the desiccant on the market is mostly made of calcium oxide (quicklime), silica gel, ferric oxide and calcium chloride as the main raw materials, among which the desiccant made of quicklime and silica gel is the most common. Especially quicklime, because of its good moisture absorption effect, convenient source and cheap price, most desiccants are mainly made of quicklime and are widely used in food packaging. In recent years, silica gel desiccant is gradually popular as an alternative product of lime desiccant, whose main component is silicon dioxide, which is non-toxic, non-corrosive, stable in nature and has better moisture absorption. In the process of using lime desiccant, once it becomes hard, it cannot continue to function, which is one of the reasons for its gradual elimination. In addition, according to the food and drug packaging regulations, the main ingredients and harmful conditions should be marked on the outer packaging of desiccant, and safety tips should be made. From the current market survey situation, food enterprises will generally mark warning words such as “not edible” and “keep away from children” on desiccant packaging. Alkaline eye burns can easily lead to blindness After absorbing water, quicklime becomes powdered calcium hydroxide, that is, slaked lime. This process will not only release heat, and calcium hydroxide is alkaline, both into the conjunctival sac, will cause corneal and conjunctival burns, and alkali burns than hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid and other acid burns more serious consequences. Parents must put the desiccant away from the children when giving them snacks to avoid causing injury. Once a quicklime accidentally splashes into the eyes, it should be immediately flushed with water for at least 15 minutes and sent to the hospital for treatment. Food desiccant is mainly alkaline chemical substance, which has strong penetrating power and makes the PH value of the cell change through the cell membrane. In serious cases, it can also lead to serious necrosis of cornea conjunctiva, perforation, corneal leukoplakia and eye inflammation, secondary glaucoma, concurrent cataract and even eye atrophy. These eye lesions seriously affect vision and can even cause blindness. Some patients can’t regain their original vision even after surgery. How to give first aid after accidentally consuming desiccant Children, due to their curiosity, mistakenly consume the food in the bag, are not familiar with the performance of desiccant and may accidentally take it and cause burns in the esophagus; taking a large amount of iron trioxide may lead to nausea, vomiting and symptoms of abdominal pain and diarrhea, showing signs of iron poisoning, etc. If a child accidentally eats desiccant, parents should not panic, first of all, distinguish the type of desiccant, if it is a colorless and transparent ball, it belongs to silica gel desiccant, silica gel cannot be absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract and can be discharged out of the body through feces, generally speaking, it is not toxic to the human body, and no special treatment is needed after accidentally taking it. Unless the child has dizziness, vomiting and other special reactions, it is generally not necessary to seek medical treatment. If you accidentally consume quicklime desiccant, the biggest danger is that calcium oxide reacts with water and exotherm, which can easily cause esophageal burns or stomach ulcers. You should drink water to dilute and induce vomiting as soon as possible to reduce the absorption in the body, but you should not drink too much water to avoid burning the esophagus again due to vomiting, and then send to the hospital for treatment as soon as possible. How to handle food desiccant correctly Generally, on the bag of food desiccant, there are reminders such as not to eat and not to immerse in water, and according to the requirements, food desiccant must be sealed, but these reminders are often easy to be ignored. After parents buy back the food, if the bag contains desiccant, especially lime desiccant, in the case that the country has not formulated uniform disposal standard for it at present, it is better to throw it away directly. Because some lime desiccants are not in the form of granules but completely in the form of powder, they may be accidentally sprayed into the eyes after unpacking, which is very destructive to the cornea. Food desiccant has an important role in preventing food from moisture deterioration and prolonging the shelf life of food. Although there are safety and health hazards under unexpected circumstances, it is not a flooding beast, and it cannot be “wasted for choking”. In fact, no matter what kind of desiccant is composed of, as long as it is not broken and does not get wet, it is safe; besides, as the alternative product of lime desiccant – silica gel desiccant is being promoted, lime desiccant will be gradually eliminated. Therefore, for the adults, the key is to do their duty of education and supervision, so that the children can stay away from it, not to misuse it and not to eat it by mistake, and then the tragedy can be avoided.