BANGKOK, 3 May 2012 – The Public Health Ministry is campaigning for food sellers to change cooking oil more frequently for better health of the consumers.
Deputy Public Health Minister Surawit Khonsomboon has cooperated with major health agencies in solving repeated use of cooking oil by street vendors selling deep fried food.
According to Mr Surawit, Thai people continue to consume more fried food and 800,000 tons of oil is used for this purpose each year. He indicated that reused oil is the cause of cancer, heart disease, and high blood pressure. He added that the street vendors who inhale oil vapors are also risking themselves of lung cancer.
The Public Health Ministry has therefore stepped up measures to encourage people not to reuse the oil. The deputy minister explained that consumers should avoid the food if the smoke coming out of the oil is black and has bad smell or if the oil looks thickened, darkened, or has bubbles.
