Brilio.net - Formalin is a preservative that has been banned from being used in food. However, until now, foods containing formalin are still found, one of which is tofu. Some unscrupulous producers often add formalin to extend the shelf life and gain more profit, without considering the negative impacts on consumer health.
Consuming tofu with formalin can cause various health risks. Based on research quoted from healthopenresearch.org, exposure to formalin in food can cause headaches, sleep disorders, nasal inflammation, skin irritation, and increase the risk of cancer. These impacts are certainly very dangerous for the body.
To avoid these risks, it is important to be more selective in choosing tofu. Tofu containing formalin has specific characteristics that can be easily recognized. Differentiating between pure tofu and tofu containing formalin can be the first step to maintaining health.
A YouTube user named Fina once shared an easy way to distinguish pure tofu from tofu containing formalin. Through the YouTube channel Fina Ardiana12, she appears to show two different tofus. One is pure tofu, and the other is tofu containing formalin.
As reported by brilio.net on Thursday (3/4), the way to distinguish tofu can be seen from its texture, color, and aroma. To see the texture, you can touch or press the surface of the tofu a little.
photo: YouTube/Fina Ardiana12
When the tofu on the left is pressed, a little crack appears (easily crumbled). Well, this indicates that the tofu is pure or made from real soybeans. Unlike the tofu on the right, which when pressed, the texture of the tofu appears more chewy and tough. This chewy and non-crumbling tofu indicates that the tofu has been given additional formalin.
photo: YouTube/Fina Ardiana12
In addition to texture, this tofu can also be distinguished by its color. The tofu on the left (which is not formalin) has a pale white color. While the tofu with formalin is actually clean and bright white.
photo: YouTube/Fina Ardiana12
When cut, the cavity inside the tofu will be visible. Well, pure tofu tends to have many cavities inside. Unlike tofu containing formalin, the inside is smooth and flat. There is not the slightest cavity inside the tofu.
photo: YouTube/Fina Ardiana12
Furthermore, the YouTube user also explained that tofu containing formalin tends to last longer when stored at room temperature. If ideally pure tofu can only last 1-2 days at room temperature, tofu containing formalin can actually last longer than that.
In terms of aroma, pure tofu has a distinctive protein smell from soybeans. However, this is not the case with tofu containing formalin. This formalin tofu actually has a pungent aroma like medicine, which indicates that the tofu has been given formalin preservatives.
How to fry tofu so it doesn't break or crumble easily.To prevent tofu from breaking easily when fried, there are several steps that can be taken. First, make sure the tofu is dried first by draining it or patting the surface using kitchen paper. Too much water content can cause oil splashes and make the tofu more susceptible to breaking.
Second, heat enough oil and make sure it is really hot before putting the tofu in. Frying in oil that is not yet hot can cause the tofu to absorb too much oil, making the texture soft and easy to crumble.
Third, add a little salt or flour to the surface of the tofu before frying. Salt helps reduce the water content in the tofu, while the flour layer can form a protective layer so that the tofu remains intact and gets a crispy texture on the outside.
Lastly, avoid flipping the tofu too often when frying. Let one side cook first before flipping it so that the tofu does not break easily. By applying this method, the tofu can remain intact, crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside.
(brl/lut)
