Know These Tips to Avoid Accidentally Eating Vermicelli Containing Borax and Harmful Chemicals — Protect Your Health

🧪 Test Clean Vermicelli with Fish Sauce

How to do it:

• Step 1: Pour some fish sauce into a bowl.
• Step 2: Add a few strands of vermicelli, stir gently, and observe.

If the vermicelli absorbs the fish sauce quickly and becomes soft, it’s likely clean vermicelli made from pure starch, which absorbs liquid well.
On the other hand, if after a few minutes the vermicelli remains glossy and dry, absorbing only a little liquid, it likely contains chemicals such as borax, which makes the strands firm and water-resistant.

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🔍 Other Ways to Check Vermicelli Quality

1. Color Inspection

Clean vermicelli made from pure rice has an opaque white or slightly dull color.
Vermicelli containing borax or preservatives often appears bright white, shiny, and glossy.
Clean vermicelli tends to be soft, breaks easily, and feels slightly sticky when touched.
In contrast, vermicelli with borax is firmer, more elastic, harder to break, and lacks the natural stickiness of rice starch.

2. Smell Test

Clean vermicelli usually has a mild sour scent — a natural result of soaked rice during the production process.
Vermicelli with borax lacks this sour aroma.
If vermicelli is left out in the market all day in high temperatures and still doesn’t smell sour, it likely contains borax or preservatives.
While some preservatives are legally allowed, they must be used within safe limits.

Clean vermicelli tastes like rice starch, similar to eating plain rice.
If stored for a day or more, it will turn sour and spoil.
Vermicelli that lasts 2–3 days without spoiling and has no flavor when chewed likely contains excessive borax or chemicals.
You can test it with turmeric powder — if the strands turn gray, they may contain harmful substances.

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⚠️ Expert Warnings

Experts advise consumers to be cautious with vermicelli and fresh noodles that appear overly white and glossy under light.
When buying vermicelli, use a UV light (like a counterfeit money detector).
If the vermicelli glows, it may contain Tinopal — a fluorescent whitening agent.

Tinopal, when accumulated in the human body, can cause serious health risks.
Its first impact is on the digestive system, irritating the intestinal lining and causing indigestion, ulcers, and stomach issues.
It may also harm the liver, kidneys, nervous system, and even lead to genetic mutations and increased cancer risk.

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💡 Final Advice for Home Cooks

Be wise when choosing vermicelli or noodles for your family.
Avoid unintentionally poisoning yourself with harmful substances — your health depends on it.