Health Times reporter learned from Shenzhen Longhua District People's Hospital that a patient with repeated fever was finally confirmed to have epidemic hemorrhagic fever. The cause of the disease may be the contamination of the packaging of the canned beverages he drank two days ago.
"In order to facilitate the listing and placement of canned beverages, there is generally a groove in this groove. This groove is very easy to hide dirt. During storage and transportation, rats, insects, etc. often crawl through it, which is actually very unhygienic." Liu Anlei, attending physician of the emergency department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, told Health Times reporters that in addition, because the beverage itself tastes sweet, it is easier to attract these creatures.
Mr. Chen, a truck driver in Shenzhen, suddenly had symptoms such as repeated fever, fear of cold, and chills. He took medicine on his own for many days without improvement and his condition progressed rapidly. Doctors at Shenzhen Longhua District People's Hospital diagnosed him with epidemic hemorrhagic fever, and the cause of the disease may be the canned beverages he drank two days ago.
"When he was sent to our hospital, he had severe renal failure, his urine protein and red blood cell indicators were abnormal, and the functions of multiple systems and organs such as liver and kidney were severely damaged." Mr. Chen's attending physician, Wang Li, director of the Department of Nephrology at Shenzhen Longhua District People's Hospital, told the Health Times reporter, "After examination, we determined that it was hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, and then immediately carried out targeted rescue treatment. Fortunately, he was sent to the hospital in time and has been discharged smoothly."
Robert Budway, chairman of the Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) in Washington, DC, pointed out that "for consumers and brand owners, the most important features of aluminum cans are taste, brand, product protection, performance and sustainability. Aluminum cans have many advantages, which can protect products from air and light damage, and can also improve portability, which is very suitable for the lifestyle of today's consumers."
Canning is already a trend. "Tea drinks in aluminum cans are the packaging form of our original products and one of the most popular packaging forms among consumers. Since the product came out, canned packaging has continued to this day, mainly because canned beverages have their own advantages." A staff member of the production department of Hainan Zhenxi Industry told reporters.
A reporter from Health Times randomly opened aluminum cans on the market and found that as the can-pull device was opened, the exposed part would be directly immersed in the drink.
Regarding the cleanliness and hygiene of canned drinks, the staff of Zhenxi Industrial Production Department also said, "We can only try our best to ensure the cleanliness and hygiene of cans in each link of our production, but we can't do anything about the subsequent transportation and sales process."
The reporter randomly visited three supermarkets in Chaoyang District, Beijing. There were no straws for customers to choose around their beverage cabinets, but when checking out after purchasing drinks, if they asked for straws, these three supermarkets could provide them.
"Under normal circumstances, customers who buy drinks don't have the habit of asking for straws." The salespersons of the three supermarkets all said. Only one salesperson said, "Since the epidemic, occasionally some customers will wipe the bottle mouth before opening the bottle, which was rarely seen before."
In addition, the reporter noticed that canned drinks, including canned drinks such as Coca-Cola, have transformed the pull ring into an embedded design, which increases the risk of some contaminants on the packaging directly entering the drink.
Yu Huan from Guizhou University mentioned in the article "Thoughts on Beverage Packaging Design Derived from the Changes in Coca-Cola Packaging": "Most of the cans on the market currently have an embedded pull ring design. This design makes the pull ring remain integrated with the can body after opening. Although it is environmentally friendly, the pull ring is upside down in the can after opening, making it in direct contact with the beverage. In addition, during the transportation and display marketing process, the can has a certain chance of being contaminated with dust, which can easily cause bacteria to grow in the groove of the pull ring." "When drinking canned beverages, we recommend that you first clean the packaging after getting the can before opening it to drink. It is also recommended to use a straw when drinking to reduce related pollution." Wang Li suggested that other supermarkets should also pay attention to the hygiene of the surrounding environment of food, especially the elimination of rats. Liu Anlei also said, "In fact, there are many health risks in canned drinks, and they are difficult to predict. In addition to some animals crawling over them, there will also be some bacteria breeding in nature, which can easily cause diarrhea, digestive tract symptoms and even epidemic infectious diseases such as plague and epidemic hemorrhagic fever."
The importance of dust caps on aluminum cans is clearly reflected in this case. When we talk about food safety and public health, every detail is crucial, and the dust caps on cans, as part of the packaging, cannot be ignored.
First, the main function of the dust cap is to protect the beverage inside the can from external contamination. During production and transportation, cans may be exposed to dust, bacteria, viruses or other contaminants. A good dust cap can effectively isolate these potential sources of contamination and ensure that the beverage remains clean and hygienic when it reaches the hands of consumers. In this case, if the dust cap of the canned beverage is defective or damaged, then external pathogens may take the opportunity to invade the can, contaminate the beverage, and then endanger the health of the drinker.
Second, the dust cap also plays a role in keeping the beverage fresh. Through the sealing design, the dust cover can slow down the loss of nutrients in the beverage, prevent oxidation and deterioration, and thus extend the shelf life of the beverage. This is crucial to protecting the health rights and interests of consumers and the product quality of the company.
In addition, from a public health perspective, the integrity of the aluminum cans older is also an important part of preventing the spread of disease. As reported, the cases of epidemic hemorrhagic fever caused by contaminated canned beverage packaging remind us that we must pay attention to the safety and integrity of food packaging. A small dust cover can become a solid barrier to protect public health at a critical moment.
In summary, the importance of the dust cover of the aluminum can is self-evident. It is not only a key element to ensure the cleanliness, freshness and safety of beverages, but also one of the important measures to prevent the spread of disease and maintain public health. Therefore, both manufacturers and consumers should pay enough attention to the dust cover to ensure that it remains intact throughout the supply chain.
