Brilio.net - Formalin is a food preservative that has been banned from being used in food. However, formalin is still often found in several types of food, including tofu. This practice is carried out by irresponsible tofu producers for more profit, without thinking about consumer health.
Consuming tofu containing formalin can cause various health risks. Based on research published on healthopenresearch.org, the dangers of consuming tofu containing formalin include headaches, sleep disorders, nasal inflammation, skin irritation, and the risk of cancer, which is very worrying. To avoid these risks, it is important to be more selective when buying tofu.
Tofu containing formalin has special characteristics that distinguish it from pure tofu. 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 showed two different tofus, one pure and the other containing formalin.
As reported by BrilioFood on Wednesday (15/1), 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.
(brl/lut)