If I cut off the rotten part of the fruit, can I still eat the rest that is intact?

□ Science Times reporter Wu Qiong

Recently, a fruit shop owner in Hunan was diagnosed with liver cancer. Doctors believe that this may be related to his frequent consumption of moldy and rotten fruits. This has sparked heated discussions among netizens, with many people saying that they often cut off the rotten parts of fruits and only eat the remaining intact parts for the purpose of saving money and cherishing food. Lu Jinlai, deputy chief physician of the Department of Gastroenterology at Shanghai Oriental Hospital, warned that this practice poses a risk of cancer.

"During the decay of fruit, a variety of pathogenic molds and toxic metabolites will grow, including aflatoxin, griseofulvin and patulin." Lu Jinlai told the Science Times reporter that aflatoxin is the most carcinogenic and is classified as a Class 1 carcinogen by the World Health Organization. It causes significant damage to the liver and can cause cirrhosis and liver cancer. Patulin was first found in moldy apples and apple juice, and is widely found in various moldy fruits. It is a neurotoxin that can cause nerve paralysis, pulmonary edema, renal failure, and can also affect fertility and cause cancer.

When part of the fruit rots, these toxic substances can penetrate through the juice to other parts that appear intact. Lu Jinlai said: "Eating rotten fruit may cause acute gastroenteritis, and long-term consumption may cause cancer."

Lu Jinlai recommends that when buying fruits, you should choose fresh fruits with intact appearance and avoid buying fruits that have already shown signs of deterioration or decay. In addition, it is not recommended to buy cut fruits, because the cuts may be contaminated by microorganisms, and merchants may also use moldy fruit cuts to pass off as good ones.