Health fears as chemical preservatives find their way to the dining table

Veronica Anyango (right) enjoys a meal with a friend at a Nairobi fast food joint. NATION | SARAH OOKO.  

By SARAH OOKO

In Summary

Latest statistics from the WHO indicate that about 25 per cent of Kenyan women aged 20 years and above are overweight while only about 15 per cent of men in the same age group suffer from this condition.

 

On most mornings, the sweet aroma of fried sausages, grilled bacon and sizzling meat patties easily draws one to Lilian Atieno’s kitchen. Once the cooking is done, she will hurriedly stuff the sausages in cylindrical buns, lay the bacon on flat plates and make sandwiches with meat slices or beef brawn.

The sight of these delicacies on her breakfast table is enough to whet appetites and make stomachs growl, especially after a long night’s sleep. But these mouth-watering dishes are not only a preserve of Ms Atieno’s family and guests.

“They are gaining popularity among Kenyans as people increasingly consume processed food,” notes Ms Leila Akinyi, Head of Healthy Diets and Lifestyle Programme at the Ministry of Health (MOH) Nutrition Department.

Compared to other diets, processed foods or drinks have been altered from their natural state either for safety reasons or convenience. This is usually achieved through the use of additives, artificial flavouring and other chemical ingredients. Examples include meat products such as ham, dairy products such as cheese, and liquids such as sweetened juices.

Jasper Imungi, a food and nutrition expert from the University of Nairobi notes that food additives, which are contained in most processed food or drinks, are often perceived to be “evil” chemicals that cause ill health.

“Yet this is not always the case. All additives allowed for use in food have been scientifically tested and found to be safe. But they should be used within the stipulated limits or amounts,” says Prof Imungi.
Prof Imungi adds that the additives perform various roles in food. They include: flavour enhancers that improve the taste of food, emulsifiers that allow water and oils to remain mixed together (as in ice creams), and preservatives that forestall rapid spoilage of food due to fungi or bacteria.

Despite their benefits, certain additives can pose health risks if consumed in large amounts over long periods of time.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised the alarm over the increased reliance on, and consumption of processed foods and drinks due to their link to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

“This is also a concern for us as a country. We are noticing that admissions due to NCDs have increased and are now almost at par with other disease,” says Ms Akinyi.

Indeed, the current WHO Global Report on Non-Communicable Diseases states that the percentage of NCD deaths among people below the age of 70 years in Kenya is now over 50 per cent. Economists are concerned that this catastrophe is causing a double burden of disease in developing nations.

Governments are now forced to address an upsurge in NCDs even as they struggle to reduce the prevalence of communicable disease such as malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia. This exerts additional pressure on healthcare expenses, which are already exorbitant.

Some of the controversial additives found in processed food and drinks include trans-fats, artificial flavours, nitrates, sulphur dioxide and monosodium glutamate (MSG). Trans-fats are created when manufacturers add hydrogen to vegetable oil.

These oils are used for making margarine that people spread on bread each morning. They are also used for baking and deep frying fast foods such as chicken and potato chips. Trans-fats are believed to increase the risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes as they lower people’s HDL (good) cholesterol whilst raising their LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Majority of processed meat products like sausages, brawn and bacon that Ms Atieno enjoys cooking often contain sodium nitrate or nitrite. These chemicals are good colour stabilisers and will, for instance, turn meat bright red giving it a pleasant appearance. They also extend the shelf life of most cured meat products.

However, these chemical compounds are highly carcinogenic when consumed in large amounts. Upon entering the blood stream, they wreak havoc with a number of internal organs, particularly the liver and pancreas. Studies have linked them to colon, stomach and oesophagus cancers.