Friday, August 25, 2006
8/25/2006 08:05:00 AM

Of Chopsticks Warning & Chopsticks Tree

posted by FH2o

I received this email a while ago on the danger of using disposable chopsticks which could be just another one those unsubstantiated health warnings. However what could be substantiated is this lone 'chopstick' tree we found along Sungai Sarawak Kiri at Borneo Highlands. Perhaps the crown could have burned after being struck by lightning or more likely the leaves caught fire in the process of the burning off of the surrounding vegetation in clearing the land for farming. Perhaps Professor Jackson Mathis can verify this!



DONT USE DISPOSABLE CHOPSTICKS

This is a true case, if you don't believe try the following test:

Soak a pair of disposable chopsticks (usually given to you when you buy pack food from a Chinese take-away) for between 3 to 5 minutes inside hot boiling water. Within minutes and right infront of your eyes, you will notice that some white colouring matter seems to be dissolved into the hot water from the chopsticks. What is released from the chopsticks is actually a chemical, a bleaching agent.

In a campaign promoting healthy care in Singapore recently, Professor Jackson Mathis reminds people not to use disposable chopsticks, as almost the majority of them are made in or imported from China. He explained that during the manufacturing process of disposable chop-sticks before the actual production itself, all raw materials are already cover-grown with germs that make the wood materialslook like they are coated in multiple colours or are covered with poisonous fungus.

The first process itself is already frightening as the manufacturer starts the process by soaking up the wooden raw materials inside a very big container that is filled with a very toxic and highly poisonous chemical. This chemical is intentionally added in inorder to preserve the materials. After a few days of soaking, they are then washed with an even worse cleaning agent, in this case it is a bleaching agent (which chemical ph level is believe to be more Than a thousand times over the general permissible/acceptable international standards). And guess what? these chemicals itself is likely to cause greater harm to our health (if we continue consuming such chemicals into our body on a daily basis) not forgetting that since these chemicals used are usually carcinogenic in nature, they arelikely to cause cancer.

Since his last visit to a disposable chopsticks manufacturing plant in China 5 years ago, Professor Jackson Mathis has immediately stop using such disposable chopsticks anymore. In Professor Jackson case, just incase if he ever forgets to bring along his own pair of chopsticks for lunch or dinner, he usually make sure that he do not forget to put on pair of it inside his bag since it can be re-use again and again. Professor Jackson Mathis said: "If you have been using disposable chopsticks in the past, and you insist on continue using them again, please pause and think for a moment. Why is cancer spreading like wild fire these days throughout the world affecting all sorts of people. After that think of how many pairs of disposable chopsticks a factory in China is producing by the minute. The answer itself is right here !"

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8 Comments:

hehe, hate to tell u this ..

but I have checked long ago that this email is a hoax.

Dun beleive the word of mouse!

Of course, use everything in moderation and dun get paranoid.. this advise is for the readers only lah.
Robin, is it? Really a hoax, I mean? I've received such an email awhile back and have stopped using disposable chopsticks ever since. I used to think it's more hygienic using them. Is it safe to go back to disposables again?

Poor manufacturers, they could have lost business after these emails. I like your 'word of mouse'. hehe..

FH2o, thanks for sharing all the same. You meant well and I appreciate that.
I call that an unleavened tree.

Not a single leaf to cover its branches and trunk, and probably its fruits and nuts too. Naked!
Disposable chopsticks? From China? Ur nuts?? Its cheaper to make it here lah than having to make it in China and bring it here.

Myth is a hoax hahahahahahaha
Ah, the tree. Guess I missed it going for the smaller parts, the chopsticks.

These trees are sometimes poisoned for various reasons, one of which could be the extermination of termites. Lightning strikes could be another cause.

FH2o, nice pictures.

Agus, naked? Sexy!
"Word of Mouse"... now that sounds like a great title for a blog about debunking crap people keep forwarding us. Anyone wants to help?

Sounds pretty close to this story on Snopes, which claims it's a Professor Chew, not Jackson Mathis. I guess an angmo name lends the story more credibility.

Another discussion reminds those of us who don't pay any attention in science that the ph level only goes up to 14.
How ironic. In my newspaper today it was announced that restaurants and supermarkets in Japan are either going to start charging people for disposable chopsticks or use plastic ones instead. The reason is that the overwhelming majority of disposable chopsticks in Japan are imported from China, and China recently announced that they are doubling the price for "environmental reasons".

Toxic bleach or no, it looks like I won't be using them as much. A pity. They make such excellent firestarters.
MM, in my paper the other day, it said the Chinese manufacturers were in a negotiation with the Japanese importers to have the price increase reduced from 50% to 30% and that some Japanese restaurants are starting to charge 5 yen each pair. Also, the waiters are now asking customers as to the number they will need. And some restaurants have now reverted back to using plastic ones. Next, they will be getting back to the health concern bit which started the demand of disposables in the first place.

Manufacturers indicated that the disposables are made from white birch. Naturally, the little detail about the bleach was conveniently left out.

BYO as in "Bring Your Own"?


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