• Rubber and Tire Processing Is Dangerous, Say Experts
• Liver, kidney, heart, and neurological disorders may result from consumption, according to NAFDAC
• The majority of my customers choose ponmo above other meat cuts, according to a meat seller
Findings reveal that many Nigerians have continued to disregard the advice despite repeated warnings from relevant agencies and health experts about the risks of eating Ponmo, a popular delicacy throughout the country, particularly in the South West.
Numerous warnings regarding the danger of consuming the delicacy have been given by the Federal Government, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and health professionals, among others.
Ponmo is reported to pose serious health concerns to its customers due to the poor processing techniques used by butchers and other actors in its trade chain, especially at abattoirs, aside from having been demonstrated to have no nutritional value as part of diets.
One of these processing techniques involves burning the hide using old tires, plastic, and other materials, rendering it unfit for human eating. Additionally, there is frequently the circulation of “toxic ponmo” that enters the market after being pre-treated with industrial chemicals.
Unsettlingly, medical professionals claim that the majority of people who can’t live without the delicacy may be risking their lives in the process.
Investigations, according to NAFDAC Director General Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, have shown that dishonest dealers and businesspeople are now diverting animal skins intended for industrial use into the food chain for human consumption.
She revealed that some of the animal hides are occasionally pre-treated with industrial chemicals, which are toxic and harmful to human health and are not of the food grade.
She disclosed that while most goods are smuggled into the country through the permeable borders, certain businesses legally import hides from nations like Lebanon and Turkey.
“The imported animal hides are intended for use in creating leather goods including shoes, purses, belts, and other products by the leather industries. Consuming such animal hides carries a number of health risks, including a higher chance of Aplastic anemia, toxicity to the central nervous system, cancer, and harm to the liver, kidneys, and heart.
“Livestock farmers are advised to note that industrial animal hides could not be used in the manufacture of animal feed. Associated chemicals are generally stored in the tissues of animals that are fed with feed made with industrial animal hides and will eventually end up in humans when consumed, with the attendant effects,” she added.
According to several medical professionals who contacted with The Guardian, processing ponmo with rubbers of any kind, including tires, has been connected to major health problems like cancer. They said, “When tires and rubbers are burned, they produce dioxin, and when dioxins are ingested by meat, they cause cancer.”
Some of them pointed out that because of the chemical pollution from the tyre, ponmo cooked with tires could also expose customers to health risks such gastrointestinal tract (GIT) cancer.
Dr. Obinna Ebirim, a public health physician and expert in health promotion who practices in Abuja, claimed that eating ponmo that has been roasted with used car tires poses serious health risks because it releases toxic chemicals and other harmful substances into the air.
“When tyres are used as fuel for roasting, they produce hazardous fumes, carbon monoxide, and oxides of sulphur and nitrogen, bad compounds like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and heavy metals like zinc, arsenic, and mercury. These substances can contaminate the cow skin, making it unsafe for consumption,” he said.
He described how exposure to PAHs over an extended period of time raises the chance of developing several malignancies, including skin, bladder, and lung cancer. He continued, “VOCs can cause respiratory troubles and neurological problems, particularly in sensitive populations like children and the elderly.
According to him, toxic heavy metal poisoning from arsenic and mercury can build up in the body over time and cause neurological impairment as well as other health issues.
Therefore, eating ponmo that has been roasted with tires may cause short-term difficulties including cancer and neurological illnesses as well as long-term ones like respiratory ailments, skin problems, and digestive disruptions.
Ebirim emphasized the importance of using the right cooking techniques to ensure the safety of ponmo as food. “Boiling cow skins in water is one of the greatest ways to prepare it for consumption. It is a powerful technique for getting rid of dangerous chemicals and softening the skin. Additionally, boiling aids in the removal of extra fat and contaminants, making the ponmo healthier to consume.
If burning fuel is chosen for roasting, he advised using clean fuel sources like electricity, cooking gas, or clean-burning fuels like charcoal or clean wood. In comparison to used automobile tires, these techniques “produce fewer harmful emissions and reduce the risk of chemical contamination,” he continued.
He added that using spices and herbs when cooking is another option and that doing so not only improves flavor but may also have additional health advantages. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics of several herbs and spices may mitigate potentially adverse effects.
Dr. Olufela Ezekiel Oridota, a lecturer in the Department of Community Health and Primary Healthcare, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, echoed the concerns voiced by NAFDAC by stating that consuming animal hides intended for industrial use may result in health risks such as liver, kidney, and heart damage.
The outbreak of anthrax, a zoonotic illness that can spread from animals to humans, brought the cautions against meat intake to the forefront in recent weeks.
The bacteria Bacillus anthracis is the source of the deadly anthrax disease. It can have an impact on both people and animals, including livestock like cows, pigs, camels, sheep, and goats as well as wild animals.
The bacteria, which is present as spores, can be found in sick animals’ soil, wool, or hair. It is extremely difficult to control or eradicate anthrax because the spores are resistant to harsh environments and can persist in the soil or environment for decades.
The disease entered the nation after an outbreak was confirmed on a farm in Niger State, which borders Burkina Faso and Togo in northern Ghana, a neighboring country in the West African subregion.
Although experts claim that eating Ponmo has little nutritional value, The ponmo-market is currently the most sought-after “protein,” according to a Guardian poll of markets and eating establishments in Lagos; this is the cause of the surge in sales and brisk business for the vendors.
According to research, the price is the reason for the increase because a piece of Ponmo can be acquired for as little as N50. As fish, pork, and turkey costs have skyrocketed over the past two months, many people have adopted this as a replacement.
The bulk of his customers at the Oko Oba abattoir, according to a meat vendor who went by the name Baba Gani, prefer to purchase cow hides. He continued by saying that the present financial crisis has raised demand and sales for the goods.
“I suppose the main reason a lot of meat enthusiasts are rushing it is because it’s actually the cheapest of the meat portions. I must note that despite the health risks related with its processing and the animal disease warnings, customer support has not decreased. The processing of the ponmo here is safe for ingestion, I’d also want to add,” the man remarked.
It was discovered that the ‘new found love’ for Ponmo is not unrelated to the country’s present food inflation, which has been made worse by the increase in fuel prices and led to tremendous misery for Nigerians.
The uncomfortable processing procedures were validated during a visit to a few slaughterhouses and abattoirs in Lagos and Ogun states. The area where ponmo, cow legs, and tails are processed at the Cele abattoir on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway seems to be the filthy. When The Guardian came there, thick, black soot from the use of automobile tires to remove hair from animal hides bellowed from the flank.
It was discovered that other materials besides tyres, such as worn-out footwear, plastic, oily substances, firewood, and other unidentified materials, were also used to roast the cowhide.
Even though the Matori abattoir in Mushin, Lagos, appeared organized, the same practice was observed there during the visit, and at the well-known Oko-Oba Abattoir and Lairage Complex, Oko-Oba, Agege, it appears to have stopped. During the visit, a section outside the abattoir facility, near Agric road, where the cowhides and horns are burned, was deserted, save for some scavengers.
Tyres and other unwholesome materials are also used in the processing of ponmo at a well-known slaughter in Ogun State along the Solu-Alaja route. Aside from the use of these things, the processing area is filthy and close to where cow feces and other animal waste are dumped, where flies are having a field day.
The Guardian noticed from the processing facilities that aside from the unpleasant processing techniques, the Ponmo processors, traders, and purchasers also ran major health risks due to breathing in poisonous fumes.
The price of the product has won over many consumers who see it as a cheaper alternative to fish, turkey, and other meats that are already out of the reach of the average person, according to Mrs. Romoke Adedun, a middle-aged resident of Lagos State’s Pleasure area who spoke to The Guardian.
“I continue to purchase and consume ponmo; only God provides protection. What do we eat when we are told not to eat ponmo but the cost of meat and fish has increased? she questioned.
Dr. Ogbonna Obinna Chimela, Deputy Director, Clinical Nutritionist and Dietitian, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), Ile Ife, Osun State, shared some tips on how to prepare ponmo in the healthiest way possible.
The procedure is to get a new skin (hide), spread it out on a slab, cover it with boiling water (100°C), and immediately scrape the hair from the surface with a knife or other handy tool. You would find that the skin’s hair would give way. You will still have good skin, which you may slice into pieces and cook into ponmo, a form of meat that has been tenderized.
According to Chimela, the color wouldn’t be brownish like the typical ponmo. Most frequently, the typical brownish color of the standard ponmo you buy at the market is the result of tire burning.
Another approach, according to him, involves burning the skin with firewood and kerosene or gasoline before scraping it off with a knife and cleaning it with soapy water.
The only additional healthy nutrients that ponmo actually contains, according to him, are those that act as roughage and provide the stool volume. As a result, it helps shorten transit time and, when combined with other fibers, may help prevent constipation.
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