Tests turn up heat on electric Blankets
The Consumer Council yesterday urged the public to be particularly careful when using electric blankets. It tested four blankets and found the temperature of one rose to 162 degrees Celsius when folded, and the power cord of another broke under the strain of a 10kg pull.
The council and the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department conducted the tests. The council advised the public to not pull the cord when using electric blankets, never insert pins through a blanket and read the instructions carefully.
sweet tooths have little to fear
People who like chewing gum, candies and breath-freshening strips have little to fear from sweeteners, health authorities said. Recent tests by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department in collaboration with the Consumer Council focused on 12 chewing gum brands, 25 candies and three breath strips. Of these, 21 contained both of the sweeteners acesulfame potassium and aspartame. But the council said the amounts were well within safety limits.
fat-measuring scales not so intelligent