Adding ice to drinks: is it a cool surprise or a feast for bacteria?

Summer solstice has not yet arrived, but the heat has arrived first

Feeling dizzy and eyelids twitching

Adding ice to drinks at this time is simply a life-saving magic weapon!

But have you ever thought that the seemingly crystal clear ice cubes

Are there many unknown secrets hidden behind it?

Today, Ke Xiaoer will take everyone to explore

“The secret behind the coolness”

And how to gracefully avoid these hidden

"Cool Trap"!

How dirty is ice?

Do you remember those jokes that went viral? "What I drank was not a drink, but water soaked in ice." Behind the joke, there is actually a hidden concern about excessive ice and its hygienic condition.

In fact, the ice in our drinks may be dirtier than we think, sometimes containing bacteria that exceeds safety standards.

These bacteria may include E. coli, mold, yeast and other microorganisms, and in some cases may even carry more serious pathogens.

For most people, ice cubes with excessive bacteria may only cause mild gastrointestinal discomfort such as diarrhea, abdominal pain or nausea in the short term.

But for people with weakened immune systems, such as children, the elderly, pregnant women or those who already have certain medical conditions, this contaminated ice could lead to more serious health problems, such as bacterial gastroenteritis.

In addition, excessive consumption of cold drinks containing ice cubes, even if the ice cubes themselves are sterile, may irritate the gastrointestinal tract, cause vasoconstriction, mucosal ischemia, weaken digestive function, and induce spasmodic pain or other indigestion symptoms.

The reason is revealed: Why does ice cubes also pose a health hazard?

1. The refrigerator is not a sterile room: Although the refrigerator at home is low temperature, it does not mean that it is completely sterile. Bacteria on raw meat, vegetables and other foods may "slip into" the refrigerator when the door is opened and closed, contaminating the ice maker or the stored ice cubes.

2. Neglect of cleaning: Many families or restaurants often neglect the cleaning of ice containers when making ice cubes, which allows bacteria and mold to enter.

3. Water source problem: If the water used to make ice is not clean, then the ice cubes will naturally "inherit" these problems, such as residual chlorine and impurities in tap water.

Heartwarming tips: How to protect your cool little happiness?

1. Regular cleaning: Whether it is for home or commercial use, it is important to regularly clean the ice machine and the container that stores ice cubes. Use a mild disinfectant to keep the equipment clean and sanitary.

2. Choose purified water to make ice: Try to use filtered purified water to make ice cubes to reduce the source of pollutants.

3. Homemade ice cubes are safer: If you are concerned about the ice cubes sold outside, you might as well make ice at home using clean molds, which is both environmentally friendly and safe.

4. Choose restaurants wisely: When dining out, choose restaurants with good reputation and good hygiene conditions, as they usually pay more attention to the hygienic management of ice.

This summer, whenever you enjoy an ice drink, you might as well be more careful to protect the coolness and health for yourself and your family, and make every sip of cool drink truly "sweet and worry-free".