The persimmons are piled up on the wall. Let’s listen to the food safety rumor refutation

Sweet and tempting persimmons are now available in large quantities. Persimmons are rich in natural sugars, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. However, persimmons cannot be eaten with milk, crabs, fish and shrimps, and eating persimmons can cause stomach stones and other "popular science" also discourages many consumers. Is it true that persimmons cannot be shared in terms of deliciousness and safety?

Why are persimmons astringent?

The astringency of persimmons is mainly because unripe persimmons contain soluble tannins (also known as tannic acid). When the soluble tannic acid is dissolved by saliva and then contacts the protein on the oral mucosa, it will cause the protein to coagulate and produce a sense of astringency. The tannic acid content in unripe persimmons is high, especially near the persimmon skin, so the astringency is stronger. As the persimmons mature, the tannic acid gradually changes from soluble to insoluble, and the astringency gradually decreases.

As the saying goes, "Pick the soft persimmons to squeeze." If you pick unripe and astringent persimmons, you can use natural ripening methods, ethylene ripening method, alcohol method and other methods to pick the persimmons, and ensure that they are ripe and no longer astringent before use.

Can’t persimmons be eaten with seafood or milk ?

In fact, it is all because of tannic acid. The tannic acid in unripe persimmons will react with proteins, iron ions, calcium ions and other substances in seafood, milk and other foods to form complexes that are not easily absorbed by the human body, thus affecting food digestion and absorption. The tannic acid content of mature persimmons is generally below 0.5%. As long as you eat it in moderation, the tannic acid you ingest will not cause this situation to happen.

When eating persimmons on an empty stomach, the tannic acid in the persimmons reacts with cellulose, hemicellulose and protein under the action of gastric acid to form water-insoluble sediments, which are immersed in the stomach and then coagulate into lumps with pectin and plant fibers, forming gastric stones. Therefore, you should avoid eating persimmons on an empty stomach, and try to remove the persimmon peel with a high tannic acid content when eating.

What is the white frost on persimmons?

In addition to eating fresh persimmons, you can also make persimmon cakes by drying them in the sun to evaporate the water. The persimmon cakes have a layer of white frost on the outside, called persimmon frost, which is a "microcrystalline polymer" condensed on the surface of the persimmon during the evaporation of water. The main components are natural ingredients such as fructose and glucose.

Consumption Tips

1. Although persimmons and dried persimmon cakes are delicious, do not eat them in excess, and avoid eating them on an empty stomach. This is especially true for pregnant women, the elderly, children and those with weak constitutions and those with low gastric motility, so as not to increase the burden on the stomach.

2. When purchasing persimmon cakes, if there is a lot of white frost on the surface that falls off when shaken, or if the color is unusually bright, it may be that the merchant has illegally used flour, starch, colorants, etc. in order to improve the "appearance" of the persimmon cakes. Consumers should pay more attention to this.