Many people like to use insulated cups for tea, but some say that "using an insulated cup for tea is harmful to health" and "it destroys the nutritional value of tea." There's even talk that "long-term use may cause cancer." So, is the concern about using an insulated cup for tea just a scare or is it real? After reviewing many documents, here are some conclusions:
What is the material and insulation principle of an insulated cup? To understand if there's any harm in using an insulated cup for tea, let's first look at how it insulates. As the name suggests, an insulated cup is a container that keeps the temperature of the contents relatively stable, which includes both hot and cold insulation. Insulated cups typically use a vacuum layer between the outer shell and inner lining for heat insulation. Some cups also enhance insulation by adding copper plating on the outside of the inner lining or using adsorbent materials in the layer. China has a series of national and industry standards to control the quality and technical performance of such products, such as "Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulation Containers" (GB/T 40355-2021), "Stainless Steel Vacuum Cups" (GB/T 29606-2013), and "Stainless Steel Vacuum Porcelain Insulated Cups" (QB/T 5613-2021).
The materials used for insulated cups vary, including common ones like stainless steel, ceramics, glass, as well as plastics, silicone rubber, coatings, and platings. Under the national food safety standard system, insulated cups fall under the management category of "food contact materials and products." China has established a comprehensive food safety national standard system to control the safety of the above materials, such as "National Food Safety Standard for Glass Products" (GB 4806.5-2016) and "National Food Safety Standard for Food Contact Metal Materials and Products" (GB 4806.9-2016). As a food contact material and product, insulated cups must comply with China's food safety national standards to be marketed and sold.
Is it really harmful to health to use an insulated cup for tea? The safety risks of food contact materials mainly come from substances that may "migrate" into food and pose health hazards, such as heavy metal elements in metal materials and some monomers and additives in plastic materials. China's food contact material food safety national standard system has set a series of restrictive requirements for various materials, including limits on harmful substances, usage scope of different materials, and restrictions on usage conditions, to ensure that food contact materials do not harm human health during normal use. For the restricted usage conditions specified in the standards or the usage precautions of the food contact materials themselves, they should be indicated on the product labels or instructions.
For insulated cups, their common use is to hold various cold and hot foods for a long time, including tea. So, as long as you choose a qualified product and use it according to the product label or instructions, using an insulated cup for tea will not harm human health.
What should be considered when using an insulated cup for tea? From a food safety perspective:
- When buying an insulated cup, pay attention to choosing one with information such as the manufacturer, production date, and proof of quality through regular channels.
- Before first use, thoroughly clean the cup body, lid, and gasket to prevent residual processing aids or pollutants from migrating into food during processing or storage, causing health hazards.
- Since insulated cups involve a variety of materials and are used for both hot and cold insulation, pay attention to the label and instructions before using an insulated cup for tea. For example, a cup only for cold insulation may not be suitable for holding hot tea water and is suitable for making cold tea.
- Insulated cups usually have a complex structure with hard-to-clean corners, such as sealing gaskets, spring lids, and cup mouth threads. After use, clean them in time to avoid dirt accumulation and microbial reproduction.
- For insulated cups with surface coatings, protect the coating when cleaning. Once the coating is damaged, it may cause coating fragments to fall off or make substances in the base material after coating more likely to migrate into food. Therefore, replace the insulated cup in time if the coating is damaged.
- If the material of the insulated cup is severely worn, yellowed, blackened, or cracked, replace the insulated cup in time. From a sensory perspective:
- Because the insulated cup can maintain the content temperature stable for a long time, pay attention to controlling the brewing temperature and time according to the type of tea to avoid affecting the quality and taste of the tea soup.
- Some metal material insulated cups may migrate elements with a "metallic taste," such as iron elements; some silicone materials will have their own unique odors. Although the above situations will not cause food safety issues, and some tastes or odors can be eliminated or weakened by thorough cleaning, consumers with high sensory requirements can choose other materials of insulated cups according to their own needs.
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