The Danger Of Lontong Wrapped In Plastic, Can Trigger Hormone Disorders To Cancer

JAKARTA - In everyday life, many people choose a practical way of cooking, including in making rice cake.

One of the methods that is often used is wrapping rice cake in plastic because it is considered easier and faster. But in fact, this habit can actually have a negative impact on health.

A community nutritionist from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia, DR. dr. Tan Shot Yen, M. Hum, reminded that the use of plastic as a rice cake wrapper or ketupat can pose a risk of causing serious health problems.

dr. Tan explained that plastic that is exposed to heat during the inauguration process can release harmful chemicals that have the potential to enter human food and body.

"Plastics exposed to high temperatures, especially certain types, can emit harmful chemicals that can be absorbed by food. This can contribute to hormonal disorders, reproductive problems, and even increase the risk of cancer," said dr. Tan, as quoted by ANTARA.

Traditionally, rice cake and ketupat are made from steamed rice to solid shape. Usually, rice cake is wrapped in banana leaves, while ketupat uses coconut leaves.

According to dr. Tan, wrapping lontong and ketupat with natural ingredients such as banana leaves or coconut leaves is much safer than plastic. In addition, this natural ingredient also provides a distinctive aroma that increases the taste of food.

This fragrant aroma of leaf wrappers is a special attraction, especially when eaten with other special dishes such as rendang or chicken opor during holidays.

During celebratory moments such as Lebaran, many people store rice cake or ketupat for consumption the next day. In order to maintain its quality, dr. Tan suggested keeping it in the refrigerator before it was served again.

"The way to store rice cake should be like storing cooked rice, which is put in a refrigerator and steamed before consuming it," he explained.

In addition, he also reminded the importance of controlling the portion of lontong or ketupat so as not to overdo it. The ideal dose for one meal is one ketupat or lontong, which is equivalent to one portion of rice, which is around 150 grams.