Sometimes, saving money the wrong way can cost you—and those around you—a very high price. A case of “saving” chopsticks like the one below has even led to liver cancer.

Tan Dunci from the Department of Clinical Toxicology at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (Taiwan, China) warns: “Cancer-causing toxins can exist right around us, in places that are extremely familiar in our daily lives but often go unnoticed.” She shared that during her work, she once encountered a family of four who all developed liver cancer due to a mistaken habit of using chopsticks.

Moldy chopsticks were the cause that led four members of the same family to develop liver cancer (illustrative image).

According to her account, the first person diagnosed was the grandfather. Nearly 70 years old, he was rushed to the hospital with severe abdominal pain. At first, his family thought that, given his age, poor eating habits in the past, and frequent alcohol consumption, developing cancer was not surprising. Not long after, his daughter-in-law—a full-time homemaker in her early 40s—was also diagnosed with liver cancer.

When two people in the same household developed the same type of cancer despite not being blood relatives, the mother began to suspect something unusual and invited specialists to inspect their home. Shockingly, as soon as the toxin expert stepped into the kitchen, he exclaimed: “Using bamboo chopsticks that are moldy and black like this and refusing to replace them is no different from poisoning yourselves. They contain aflatoxin, a cancer-causing toxin.”

The mother was utterly shocked. It turned out that the family had used bamboo chopsticks exclusively for decades. Although she was frugal, whenever she noticed that the chopsticks were heavily moldy and could not be cleaned no matter how much she washed them, she wanted to throw them away. However, she was often stopped by her father-in-law. In his view, bamboo chopsticks commonly became like this, and mold from bamboo was harmless—just scrub them clean, steam them, or soak them in hot water and they could be used again.

After learning that the liver cancer was caused by moldy chopsticks, the woman quickly followed the specialist’s advice and took the remaining family members for screening. The results showed that both of her children had developed the same disease, fortunately at an earlier stage. As for her husband, because he frequently traveled for work and rarely ate at home, his exposure to the toxins was lower. He also exercised regularly and had good immunity, so he was diagnosed only with stage 2 liver fibrosis, which could be effectively treated.

If your chopsticks show these two signs, throw them away to avoid liver cancer

According to Tan Dunci, not only moldy chopsticks but also moldy wooden cutting boards and moldy foods can contain aflatoxin, which causes liver cancer and many other diseases. “This toxin is classified by the World Health Organization as a Group 1 carcinogen. Aflatoxin is 68 times more toxic than arsenic trioxide and 100 times more toxic than potassium cyanide. Besides cancer, even a very small amount can cause poisoning and death due to acute liver or kidney failure.”

However, this terrifying toxin is very common in daily life. For example, bamboo chopsticks are widely used but are prone to mold, especially if they are used for a long time or cleaned and stored improperly. During use, they become rough and chipped, easily absorb water and food residue, yet are difficult to clean thoroughly. Over time, they remain damp, become moldy, and produce aflatoxin,” she explained.

She further reminded that aflatoxin mold is extremely heat-resistant. It is not destroyed by cooking, steaming, or boiling in water. Therefore, if you notice that your household chopsticks—especially wooden or bamboo ones—have the following two characteristics, you should discard them as soon as possible:

• Many scratches or cracks.

• Any mold, even if it is very small or minimal.

Even if chopsticks show no visible abnormalities to the naked eye, they should be replaced every 3–6 months. Tan Dunci also taught proper ways to clean chopsticks, especially bamboo and wooden ones. Because they have grooves or patterns, they should be cleaned along the direction of those grooves.

Pay extra attention when washing bamboo and wooden chopsticks, and replace them every 3–6 months even if there is no visible mold (illustrative image).

When washing chopsticks, use a dishwashing sponge and clean each pair thoroughly, rather than placing them in your palm and rubbing them back and forth. That method is not sufficient for proper cleaning, especially when washing many chopsticks at once. After washing, place them in a dry area—ideally with sunlight—until they are completely dry before storing them in a cabinet. Chopsticks should also be disinfected regularly. If you do not have specialized equipment, thoroughly washing them and then boiling or soaking bamboo or wooden chopsticks in boiling water can also help reduce mold growth.