Food and science technologists have advised Nigerians against consuming meat injected with chemicals such as sodium nitrate, warning that aside from violating food safety standards, they have been linked to hypertension, heart disease, leukaemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma and several cancers.
They also condemned the practice of injecting live animals with growth hormones to increase their weight and volume.
Lately, concerns have been raised over the act of injecting sodium nitrate into meats and preserving them with carbon monoxide to appear bigger, fresher and weigh more than their actual size by some meat vendors.
However, when they are cooked, they shrink to very small sizes.
Based on this development, food scientists and food safety advocates warn that consuming them is very dangerous, as residues of the chemicals remain after cooking and when such meat is consumed over time, it increases the risk of coming down with the aforementioned diseases.
Several nutrition websites noted that injecting saltwater into foods, also known as plumping has been practised in developed countries since the early 70s.
According to a science-based non-profit organisation, NutritionFacts, some processing plants inject salt water and phosphorus preservatives into poultry carcasses to make them weigh more and appear bigger.
It noted that this was a risk factor for high blood pressure and contributes to osteoporosis, arterial stiffening and acceleration of the ageing process.
Speaking on the issue, the President, Consumer Advocacy for Food Safety and Nutrition Initiative, Professor Olugbenga Ogunmoyela, said consumers of processed or raw meat preserved with chemicals are at risk of chronic diseases such as hypertension, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and bowel and stomach cancer.
According to him, meat vendors engage in such acts to make the meat look bigger and weigh more.
The don noted that the practice was fuelled by consumers’ preference for bright red-coloured meat, which they see as evidence of good quality and freshness.
Ogunmoyela said, “Consumers generally prefer to purchase raw meat that is brightly red-coloured because to them it is of good quality and fresh. This is the origin of the practice of adding chemicals such as sodium nitrate and carbon monoxide by processors and sellers.
“These chemicals prevent a chemical reaction known as oxidative browning, which is the primary basis for rejection of fresh beef in retail displays by consumers. The oxidation process spoils most foods, especially those with a high fat content such as meat.
“Fats quickly turn rancid when exposed to oxygen. However, high consumption of meat and processed meat products has been suggested to have detrimental effects on human health and the increase in cancer has been attributed to these chemicals.”
He stressed that such practice is against food safety regulations, adding, “There are limits prescribed for some food additives in the codex standard, which are not supposed to exceed the amount needed to accomplish the purpose for which the additive is required in that food. However, the addition of unquantified measures of these chemicals to food is against food safety standards and regulations.”
The don noted that although some countries permit the use of growth hormones for beef producers to boost the live weights of their animals, there are unconfirmed reports of poultry farmers in Nigeria illegally injecting their birds with such hormones.
He said, “Unconfirmed reports suggest that this practice may have illegally been embraced by poultry farmers and if this is true, must be discouraged due to the danger it poses to the health of consumers.”
The CAFSANI president advised people to be vigilant while buying food items and to opt for fresh and whole foods.
He advocated for proper labelling of food items to ensure buyers make informed choices at the point of purchase.
“While chemical food preservatives play a crucial role in maintaining the longevity of processed foods, consumers are advised to be vigilant about their intake. Proper labelling and reading of such labels by processors and consumers should be seen as an obligation.”
They should also have a good understanding of the potential health implications
“Overall, opting for fresh, whole foods is strongly recommended as an essential step in making informed and healthy choices about the products we consume,” Ogunmoyela said.
Also, a professor of Food Science and Technology, at the Faculty of Agriculture, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, James Obiegbuna, described the act of injecting animals and meat with chemicals to boost their weight and appearance as pure deception.
He affirmed that the remnants of such chemicals in the meat products could in the long term, lead to certain diseases in the consumers.
“There are food additives that could be added to food to improve their appearance and flavour and there are some other chemicals that are regarded as safe. Some additives are water soluble and can be excreted through sweat and urine. But fat-soluble vitamins like Vitamin A, E, D, and K, have a regulated amount that can be consumed. If they are consumed in excess, the individual could suffer from a disease called hypervitaminosis (which occurs when the storage levels of vitamins are abnormally high leading to toxicity and diverse health effects) because there is no way they can be excreted from the body. Individuals consuming foods processed with such chemicals, especially in lethal doses, stand the risk of coming down with certain illnesses in the long run,” the don warned.
He noted that sodium nitrate is a food additive used to preserve the freshness of meat, however, only a small, regulated amount is allowed in certain foods.
If an unregulated amount is added, the don noted that the meat becomes unsafe for consumption.
Speaking on the health implications of consuming such meat products, Obiegbuna said, “It can cause cancer, heart and kidney problems. Using unregulated and unsafe products is reducing the lifespan of consumers while the sellers are improving their pockets. Consumers will be forced to spend money on drugs and hospital visits and might become unproductive at work, leading to a loss of income and restriction of movement for the person taking care of them.”
He advocated for a return to conservative agriculture and the non-use of chemicals on farm products.
The don advised consumers to patronise trusted dealers in raw food items, who are known for not making use of unsafe chemicals and preservatives.
