The Nation Newspaper

Tag: meat

  • One man’s meat

    One man’s meat

    There is this saying that “one man’s meat is another man’s poison.” It seemed relevant as Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara criticised the Federal Government for awarding a huge oil pipelines protection contract to “one man.”

    Fubara recently complained to a Federal Government delegation on the security of oil and gas assets led by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu. His words: “Security of pipelines should not be given to one man or one person. How can someone from Kalabari be controlling the pipeline in Ogoni? There is no way it will work.” It can be said that the governor views the existing arrangement as “poison.”   

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    The ex-President Muhammadu Buhari administration, in 2022, entered into a controversial N48bn-per-year pipelines surveillance deal with a private security company, Tantita Security Services, to check the massive oil theft in the Niger Delta. 

    The company was linked to Government Ekpemupolo, popularly called Tompolo, a former militant activist who led a group called Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta.  The contract can be described as “meat” for the company, and Tompolo may well be the person the governor referred to as “one man.” He didn’t name the person.

     Tompolo was reported saying the firm was “only providing intelligence for the security people to assist to do the work.” But many Nigerians saw the Federal Government’s action as an abdication of responsibility and an admission of incapacity. In other words, the contract partly exposed the failure of the authorities in terms of security.  

    At the time news of the contract grabbed the headlines, the chief executive officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, justified the deal, saying, “The security agencies are doing their part; end-to-end pipeline surveillance would require the involvement of private entities and community stakeholders.” He added: “We need private contractors to man the right of way to these pipelines. So, we put up a framework for contractors to come and bid and they were selected through a tender process. And we believe we made the right decision.”

    Predictably, beneficiaries of the contract, that is, those who got the “meat,” have no problem with the arrangement. But there are those who have issues with the deal, that is, those who see it as “poison.” These, of course, include Governor Fubara, and several militant groups in the region said to be angry that they were excluded from the “juicy” arrangement.

     Fubara advised the delegation, saying, “We must look at bringing all the key people in the various communities.” This was another way of condemning the so-called “one man” contract approach.

    Ultimately, the authorities should review this approach to oil pipelines security, and rely more on state actors.   

  • How safe is meat consumption now?

    How safe is meat consumption now?

    Recently at a highbrow wedding reception in Lagos, I observed that many guests were turning beef delicacies down. Even delicacies prepared with cow skin [Ponmo] which ordinarily is a popular food especially in the western part of Nigeria.This sudden loss of appetite for cow meat in Lagos and most other parts of Nigeria is not unconnected with the outbreak of anthrax.

    Anthrax is a severe disease caused by the bacteria – Bacillus anthracis. It can affect both humans and animals, including wild animals and livestock such as cows, pigs, camels, sheep, goats and others.

    The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, officially confirmed the development in a statement signed by the Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria, Columba Vakuru.

    Mr Vakuru is reported to have said animals showing signs of a possible case of anthrax on a farm in Suleja, Niger State, were reported to his office on 14 July.

    “The case was in a multi-specie animal farm comprising of cattle, sheep and goats located at Gajiri, along Abuja-Kaduna expressway in Suleja Local Government Area, Niger State, where some of the animals had symptoms including oozing of blood from their body openings – anus, nose, eyes and ears.” Part of the statement read, “Following the confirmation of the outbreak in Lagos, the state became the third state, after Niger and Plateau, where the outbreak was previously recorded.

    The bacteria, which exist as spores, can be found in the soil, wool, or hair of infected animals. Anthrax spores are resistant to extreme conditions and can survive in the soil or environment for decades, making controlling or eradicating the disease very difficult.”

    The disease, previously recorded in neighbouring countries in the West African sub-region – northern Ghana bordering Burkina Faso and Togo, found its way into the country with the first outbreak recorded in a farm in Niger State.

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    Anthrax is not contagious – an infected person cannot pass it to others like a cold or flu.

    However, people can get sick with anthrax if they come into contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products, and spores get cuts or scrapes on the person’s skin.

    Eating raw or undercooked meat from infected animal or drinking contaminated water can cause the disease.

    Anthrax can spread through the air, where the spores are inhaled, which can happen in places like slaughterhouses and tanneries.

    While announcing the outbreak in Lagos, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Olatokunbo Emokpae, revealed that six of the infected animals have been confiscated, burnt, and buried, adding that the cases were discovered during animal surveillance on Lagos Island and the Agege area of the state.

    “Human and animal surveillance activities have been stepped up, and free vaccination activities and monitoring have also been intensified. Animal monitoring through intensive surveillance will be implemented. All animal owners should take advantage of the free, ongoing vaccination programme,” she said.

    Though no case of human infection has either been identified or reported since the discovery of the disease in these states, palpable fear has gripped meat lovers, as a good number of them have abandoned consumption of meat for now, to avert any risk.

    Investigations revealed that a good number of the infected-animals might have found their way into cattle and livestock markets across the country undetected, hence the need for caution on meat consumption, especially from unknown sources.

    A viral video on the social media, where about six anthrax-infected dead cows were burnt in a place called Jungle in Elepe, Ikorodu, with a voice-over warning Nigerians to steer clear of meat consumption, has sent fear down the spine of many Nigerians.

    A former Chairman, Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association of Nigeria (NVMA), Lagos state Chapter, Dr. Joseph Olufemi Aroso, however, allayed the fears of Nigerians, saying meat is safe to eat, provided it is bought but from government-controlled abattoirs, where pre and post mortem inspections are carried out.

    “We should be careful of where we buy our meat. It is safe to buy meat in government-controlled abattoirs because meat inspection will be done there, both pre and post mortem inspections and they’ll make sure that meats going to the public are wholesome.”

    Contrary to belief in some sections that the skin of infected animals (ponmo), should not be consumed, he said consumption of any part of an infected animal is risky, “not only the flesh, it is the whole body. Not only the ponmo, because when it is infected, it is the whole body that is infected. No one knows the gravity of infection of the internal organs. So, what is recommended for an infected animal is to be buried deep down. It means you are condemning the entire animal, not only the skin.”

    An animal scientist, Prof. Adetunji Iyiola-Tunji of National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Kaduna State, also confirmed that human beings are safe to consume meat now, but must ensure that the meat is not from infected animals.

    “If due diligence is followed in our abattoirs then there will not be any fear in consuming meat but then its due diligence followed? Usually cattles are supposed to be inspected before slaughtering, this is called ‘anti mortal’ and another inspection called ‘post mortem’ is carried out to check the meat for any case of hidden disease and infection. Now how many abattoirs do this?”

  • Six held for selling donkey meat

    Four women and two men have been arrested in Benin City, Edo State capital, for selling donkey meat.

    The meat is called Jaki in Benin.

    The women were nabbed at Oka market in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government by the butchers’ task force.

    They refused to give their names, saying they had been in the business for a long time.

    The women claimed they were unaware of the prohibition of sale and consumption of donkey meat.

    The men said they imported the meat from Niger Republic, where donkeys were killed, roasted and packaged as beef.

    Bags of donkey meat were recovered from the suspects.

    The Chairman of the task force, Akhere Odigie, advised people to buy meat from reputable meat sellers.

    He said monitoring of sale of unwholesome meat would continue.

  • Association seeks safe meat handling practice

    Association seeks safe meat handling practice

    The Lagos chapter of the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) has identified raw meat as a source of health concern. According to the group, unhygienic preparation of raw meat is a source of parasites and bacteria that result in food-borne and environmental diseases.

    As the members move from their secretariat situated inside Johnson Agiri Complex, Oko Oba, Agege to the Abattoir, they sensitised consumers to the effects of poorly-processed or packaged meat that can cause illness. Examples of these diseases, they said, include Tuberculosis, Brucellosis and Leptospirosis Salmonellosis (typhoid fever), among others.

    The President, Dr Alao Mobolaji said there is a global standard on how animals should be slaughtered and packaged as this can affect consumers’ health.

    “Parasites and bacteria tend to come from an animal’s gut, an animal’s intestines. Any harmful micro-organism released could contaminate all the meat the butcher is preparing. Anything harmful lives on the surface of the meat, not inside the muscle.

    “When meat is displayed in the open, flies will perch on it; potential buyers touch same without being mindful of the state of their hands in transmitting all sorts of pathogens. Then buyers move straight on to buy other things not giving thought to their hands and may even test garri, and some others edibles in the open market thereby ingesting the pathogens in them. Eventually, they get home, and as bacteria and others are still on the surface of the meat ill health is inevitable in all this.

    “We are not asking Nigerians to jump into the change in meat handling but let all be aware that it is doable.  Public health remains a major tool in promoting healthy living conditions among people and also ensuring human productivity and longevity.

    “As public health officers, veterinarians play a key role in ensuring a comprehensive public health package for any community. As a result, we have decided to embark on what we have tagged ‘Meat Hygiene Awareness Campaign’, with the purpose of educating members of the public on the health dangers of unclean meat processing and meat products,” he said.

    Dr Mobolaji said of all the diseases causing pathogens known to man, 61 per cent of them are known to affect both man and animals.

    “These diseases are what we refer to as zoonotic diseases. Currently, Nigeria is ranked 4th in the world (behind India, Indonesia and China) with the highest cases of tuberculosis based on last year’s report of the World Health Organisation (WHO).”

    According to the National TB and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP), over 600,000 new cases of tuberculosis occurred in Nigeria from a global report conducted in 2014. Brucellosis which is caused by Brucella abortus, an organism that is common in cattle, is a common occurrence in herdsmen and abattoir workers who have shown higher antibody titres for this organism.

    This occurs via the illicit handling of aborted foetuses by herdsmen or evacuated foetuses from slaughtered cows at abattoirs. The disease in man often comes with undulating fever and sweating which is often mistaken for malaria. It is also a cause of infertility.

    Salmonella disease, also known as typhoid fever, is known to affect 21.5 million people every year globally with majority from poor and under-developed nations. Typhoid fever is a growing monster in Nigeria with significant morbidity and human mortality. The organism can be found in meat, egg and milk.

    The Vice-President, Dr Obafemi Adeniran said all of the aforementioned diseases can be easily contacted from unhygienic meat and meat products. It is on this premise that the NVMA Lagos, has decided to embark on this all-important meat hygiene awareness campaign with the purpose of, “educating members of the public on the health dangers of consuming unhygienically meat and meat products.

    By sensitising butchers and meat sellers alike to the dangers of unwholesome practices in their slaughtering processes and sales of meat and meat products; to encourage members of the public to insist on buying only hygienically processed and packaged meat and meat products.”

    Dr Adeniran said NVMA Lagos also “wants butchers to desist from unwholesome means of slaughtering and processing animal meat at the various slaughter houses and abattoirs, especially slaughtering of animals on bare floor.

    “They should rather embrace modern and hygienic process of slaughtering animals. Meat vendors are to stop the sales of meat in open and unhygienic trays and tables, where they are exposed to flies. They should also stop the bare-hand handling of meat to be sold. But rather sell in hygienic selling wares, neatly wrapped in cellophanes and stored in refrigerating systems.”

    Dr Mobolaji added: “Government should speed up the upgrade of existing slaughter facilities to accommodate modern trends and the rapid completion of private abattoirs around the state. Utilisation of rapid penside test kits at our abattoirs to screen cattle to check the presence of tuberculosis or brucellosis in them. It should also engage the services of more veterinarians to conduct the business of meat inspection at our various abattoirs and slaughter houses around the state.

    “Available statistics makes it clear that Lagos State slaughters about 6,000 cattle daily (aside sheep, goats and pigs). But there are just 24 veterinarians in the employ of Lagos State to supervise the slaughtering of these animals and still conduct other duties.

    “For us to effectively cover meat inspection demands of the state, more veterinarians need to be engaged. No community, state or nation can talk about a comprehensive public health package without doing due diligence with its veterinary service care delivery.

     

     

  • Meat turned nightmares

    SIR: Nigeria is a country currently feeling a crushing wodge of pressure. In fact, it is a country in the pressure cooker at the moment   and the most patriotic of its citizens must indeed feel sorry for their fatherland.

    When pro-Biafran   agitators are not railing against the Nigerian state, Niger Delta militants lay waste its oil facilities. When Boko Haram terrorists are not laying waste to its hinterlands and casting a pall of insecurity over the whole country, rampaging Fulani herdsmen maraud villages devastating farmlands, raping and killing farmers and villagers. These are all in addition to the kidnappings rampant in sections of the country and the general malaise ailing the land which can be chalked up in no mean measure to corruption. Thus, the more it seems Nigeria is successfully fighting its many battles, the more it seems the battles multiply and get even fiercer.

    A lot has happened since the Boko  Haram sect malevolently exploded in 2009.The sweeping sense of insecurity it  has cultivated across the land has provided, as a necessary corollary, the fertile ground on which various manifestations of insecurity have been bred. One of the greatest beneficiaries of this is the criminality fostered by Fulani herdsmen. Its greatest victims have been innocent villagers and farmers spread across states stretching all over Nigeria. In response to this new onslaught of nomadic terror, governments  at all levels have been mostly caught cold and forced to offer tepid reactions  episode after episode  of blood curdling terror. This government inertia in the face of the brazen killings have prompted accusations of ethnic and religious agenda and stoked ethno-religious fires across the country.

    Since one chilling killing after the other shoved the menace into painful public knowledge, states especially in the North-central, South-east, South-south   and South-west have advocated tough measures laden with clarity and penalties to halt the campaign of death in its tracks. Some states have even followed with tough anti-grazing laws. Others have loudly protested against the grazing reserves mooted by the federal government as a panacea to the horrors.

    The uncomfortable truth, however, remains that in spite of the fact that the sleeping dogs now enjoy some measure of troubled sleep, those who rear these cattle have absolutely no interest in keeping within the lines of all that is beautiful about diversity and ownership of land in a country that flaunts its unity in diversity before a sometimes incredulous world. It is such people who are intent on relentlessly robbing Peter to pay Paul, thus ruthlessly shredding our fragile national fabric that the government must in keeping with the law seek out and punish. They must be punished in accordance with the law, not only to deter kindred would-be criminals but to salve the pains of all those who have been their hapless victims and send a clear message that this country would never condone   nomadic terror.

    Unfortunately for all those who have been hit hard by these crimes, there   is a palpable lack of political will in the highest corridors of power to tackle the menace. This has only fuelled the strong suspicions that the criminals who hide under the mask of herdsmen to sow and promote nomadic terror boast of sympathizers and apologetics in the highest places.

    Considered against the background of the recent ultimatums and counter-ultimatums by the self-appointed gatekeepers of the country, it seems the storms gather slowly but steadily for the country. The rainmakers must act to keep the floods away from our tortured country.

     

    • Kenechukwu Obiezu Esq,

    Abuja.

  • 8 year-old maid’s palms burnt over piece of meat

    A 35 year old staff of the National Examination Council, is being quizzed by the Niger state Child Right Protection Agency for burning with hot charcoal the palms of her eight- year old house-maid, accused of stealing meat from the pot.

    The Director-General of the agency, Mrs Mariam Kolo, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna on Saturday, said the accused, identified as Grace Edeh is a staff of NECO). The married woman has three children of her own and is right now, breast-feeding one of them.

    She said that the mother of three was arrested by the staff of the Minna branch of the National Human Rights Commission and later brought to the agency.

    She said that a good samaritan had seen the girl’s burnt hands and scars on her thigh in the market and interrogated her. The maid led the woman to her boss’s house.

    Mariam Kolo said that the matter was reported to the National Human Rights Commission, which transferred the case to Kolo’s agency.

    Kolo said that the offence contravenes Section 26 of the Child’s Right Act and warned parents and guardians against maltreating children.

    For now, the contrite Grace Edeh may get a slap on the wrist for the offence as she has begged Niger state Child Right Protection Agency for leniency. She pleaded she should be saved from being docked in the court as she is a nursing mother.

    The agency has consequently ordered her to give medicare to her eight-year old victim of bestiality.

    The eight year-old housemaid would attend the counselling unit of the agency in the next few weeks and would later be reunited with her biological parents.

    Edeh had told the agency that she ill-treated the girl out of anger as she was fond of stealing meat from the pot of soup.

    She said that the girl was also caught stealing meat from the neighbour’s kitchen. (NAN)

  • How safe is that meat?

    How safe is that meat?

    The beef processing industry is important to the economy. A forum has highlighted the need for beef system that would create more value for farmers and consumers, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    Abattoirs are important to the economy. They ensure that the population have access to processed whole- some meat. But what they offer have direct health implications on the population. Nationwide, consumers have expressed misgivings over their poor sanitary conditions. This is compounded by the unhygienic approach in preparing the meats. According to consumers, operators are not following safety rules enough, with the biggest  challenge coming from butchers, who process meats on slaughter slabs located in barracks and other places outside the watch of the government.

    Addressing a workshop on food safety in the  meat industry with the theme: “Meat Quality and Safety in Nigeria: Past, Present and Future”, the President, Animal Science Association of Nigeria(ASAN), Pastor Taiwo Adeoye, said the meat industry is far from desirable and below minimum global best practices, majorly because the industry lacks proper monitoring and control by professionals.

    He said: “The poor handling of meat at slaughter houses (abattoirs) in Nigeria attests to lack of adherence to minimum operating procedures and standards, even as the movement of meats and meat products from the slaughter houses enroute market/stores without adherence to safety guidelines are clear food safety threats to unsuspecting consumers.”

    Nigerian Institute of Animal Science (NIAS) President, Prof Folorunso Adu, lamented the unwholesome practices going on in many of the abattoirs and slaughter slabs in the country.

    He said: “It is on record that Lagos State government recently closed many unlicensed and illegal abattoirs and slaughter slabs that are not in compliance with the relevant laws governing meat slaughtering in the state.

    “ Many states in the country are also guilty of this offence. Pre-slaughter care of animals without consideration for their welfare and post–slaughter handling are subjects of concern to animal scientist in the country. In this regard, livestock farmers need to be educated on the effects of handling and transportation of animals on meat quality. “

    He commended the plan of the Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG) to partner the Nigeria Railways to begin transportation of cattle from Kano to Lagos. This type of intervention, he noted, would minimise transportation stress, thereby, improving the quality of beef produced.

    The Managing Director, Master Meats, Deon Johamm Conradie, observed that Nigeria is a place where people buy their meat from poorly maintained open-air markets. But he wants that to change with his company’s chain of over-the-counter butchers.

    According to him, his company  operates a standard  beef processing  outfit with  a farm and a processing unit, saying that  the business has acquired loading bays, cold rooms and freezer storages and a training facility.

    Also, the company has trained competent people in specific skills, providing opportunities for employees to move up the ranks.

    The training opportunities, he added, is supported by continuous enforcement and training in hygiene and other vital health and safety practices.

    Conradie explained that running a beef processing  business requires  the implementation of the strictest quality standards and safety regulations.

    He  added that food-processing companies needed to trace batches throughout the production process. This not only optimises efficiency, cost-effectiveness and client satisfaction, but also helps ensure public safety.

    Commissioner for Agriculture, Suarau Isiaka Oluwatoyin  said  the state is tightening food safety and hygiene control in the slaughterhouses to ensure safety of meat  for consumption.

    Oluwatoyin, who spoke through Director of Veterinary Services, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, Dr  Olalekan Allison said most slaughter houses and packing plants have  on-site inspectors.

    He said Lagos has one approved abattoir, eight approved slaughter slabs and more than 15 illegal slaughtering slabs including slaughtering facilities located within the military barracks.

    Daily, he said over 6000 cattle, 10,000 sheep and goats are slaughtered.

    The chaotic situation has caused serious problems related to food hygiene and safety.

    He said small slaughter houses were scattered among the residential areas and often failed to meet food hygiene and safety requirements.

    Besides this, wastewater from these slaughterhouses also pollutes the environment, affecting the living conditions of surrounding households.

    Despite having investing modern slaughterhouses, he  said the state is still struggling to compete with illegal abattoirs.

    Oluwatoyin said Oko-Oba has to take advantage of market trends in order to remain competitive. The  latest plan, according to him,  is to build  biogas to power its facilities  and assist efficient waste recycling and environmental practices.

    Consequently, new abattoirs may have biogas producing facilities to be  able to disseminate cheap and relatively clean energy. This is expected to improve waste management at the  abattoir.

    He  highlighted the challenge of managing waste, stressed that the government is taking steps to improve sanitary control in slaughtering, processing and commercialisation of meat at Oko Oba Abattoir in Agege to prevent food safety risks.

    The Secretary, Lagos State Butchers Stakeholders Forum, Alhaji Aminu Tanko Sadig noted that abattoirs are an important part of the economy and would  need to be supported in order to maintain and improve their efficiency.

    According to him, abattoirs need to keep up with evolving demand and capacity to change.

    To achieve this, he  said the  operators required  the support of the  government and other actors  across  the value chain  to maintain   quality management from farm to fork food production chain, including  farms, holdings, slaughterhouses, laboratories among  others.

    Sadiq said running slaughter housing facilities require large quantities of water.

    The Chairman, Local Organising Committee of the workshop, Prof Samuel Sola Abiola noted: “ The rise in demand for meat and meat products in Nigeria is mainly due to the high rate of urbanisation and proliferation of fast food restaurants with over 800 outlets. However, many consumers want healthier meat from slaughter houses.”

    “ At the moment, some industrial meat companies are now segmenting the market, selling frozen meat packaged in individual portions. The question that is now agitating the mind of an average consumer is how safe is the meat we eat in Nigeria?”

  • Consumers bemoan absence of meat in beef sausages

    Consumers bemoan absence of meat in beef sausages

    Beef sausage rolls and beef rolls as they have been christened by their manufacturers are not food products one needs to go far to get in Nigeria.

    They roll off the conveyor belts in various factories in their thousands every day and end up being sold along the roads in traffic, corner shops, open market, super markets, virtually in every nook and cranny.

    It is one of the most convenience foods for a hungry person. It is a piece of sausage meat baked in a roll of spiced pastry or dough.

    Practical food? Yes, because it is handy, tasty, affordable as it sells for N50 each, quite filling especially when eaten with a bottle of drink, can be easily accessed, neatly and safely packaged as a majority of the popular brands are produced by multinational companies.

    Beef sausage rolls have become a food product most Nigerians have come to trust and rely on especially when you are hungry and trapped in traffic hold ups like the ones experienced by Lagosians.

    The most popular brands are Gala from the UAC foods, Meaty from Leventis Stores, Chopsy beef Rolls manufactured by UTC foods, Super Bite/ Beef Rolls from CHI Ltd, Bigi etcetera.

    The sausage industry in Nigeria started with the first brand Gala, from UAC foods, in 1962. Then it was sold only in Lagos. For those outside Lagos State, it was a must-buy for them any time a relation or close ones travel to Lagos. Both adults and children relish the gift of gala sausage roll from Lagos.

    However, the market has greatly expanded. With many brands in the offing now, there is virtually no place in the country that one cannot find these snacks. Though the amusing thing is that the name gala has stuck with most people. Most consumers still refer to other brands as gala. It is a common thing to hear a buyer calling on the boys who hawk this product in traffic to bring gala, then when the seller comes with his cartoon filled with the various brands, the buyer will then select or ask for a specific brand. Generally people in most cases refer to all of them as gala.

    Is the so called beef sausages/rolls, or should I ask the pastry tasty? Yes. The problem, however, is that consumers do not know if the snacks are qualified to be called beef sausage as a majority of the brands do not seem to have any resemblance of beef in them.

    The stuffing that is supposed to be beef does not seem beefy neither does it taste meaty. The filling of the gala of old tasted meaty as is attested to by some consumers and that was why consumers got hooked to the product and when other companies saw their success rate they all went into the business. Unfortunately, they did not imitate the UAC standard of old. What we have as stuffing in the so called beef rolls are just spiced, lumpy, pink coloured dough.

    If at all there is any resemblance of minced beef in them, is the percentage of the meat enough to qualify those sausages as beef rolls and beef sausages not to talk of being called ‘Meaty’?

    Nigerian consumers definitely deserve to be treated better. They have the right to be fully informed as to what they are buying. Many consumers have registered their anger and concerns with Consumer Watch. Recently, a Public Relations consultant, Larry Ofile Badmus, called in anger after buying one of the so-called beef rolls and wondered why such a product that has no meat in it should be registered by government regulatory agency as a ‘beef roll’.

    “They can market the products but under different names that do not reflect or give the impression that the filling is made with beef,” adding that the manufacturers should be called to change the deceptive names or add enough beef to the stuffing to qualify it as a beef roll or ‘Meaty’ sausage”.

    However, reacting to the allegations, Mrs. Joan Ihekwaba, the General Manager, Marketing UAC Foods, makers of the leading brand, Gala, strongly stated that “Gala sausage rolls stands out with its unique beef filling made from pure beef, micronutrients, seasonings and other ingredients stated on the packaging in line with regulatory requirements.”

    Speaking in an interview, she refuted claims that the Gala of the 80s was of a higher quality than what we have now. She said that UAC Foods has not rested on its laurels but has rather improved its value offering over the years.

    “The brand is now 53years old and several improvement initiatives are routinely carried out towards meeting consumer’s expectations. It is the first brand in Nigeria to include micronutrients,” emphasised the GM Marketing, UAC Foods.

    Explaining further, Mrs. Ihekwaba said that the company engages in regular consumer research and identifies with aspirations of Nigerians and their appetite for success, thereby providing consumers with top quality safe and healthy convenience foods.

    Speaking with a nutritionist and food scientist at the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO), she said that for those snacks to be qualified to be called beef sausages and beef rolls they must contain between 15% and 20% beef in them.

    Analysing the stuffing in most of the popular brands, the civil servant, whose name cannot be mentioned because of civil service rules, said the manufacturers should change their recipes and include enough meat in their products or change the names of those products.

    “The stuffing is strong and even stony which should not be the case. It’s just spices, flour, binders, pink food colouring and maybe very tiny amount of minced meat which does not qualify the snacks as meaty or the other names,” she said.

    Calling on the manufacturers to stop the deception, she advised them to change their recipes or come to FIIRO for help in reformulating their recipes.

    “Though those manufacturers know the right thing to do, it’s just greed for high profit that is beclouding their sense of judgement,” she claimed.

    Exonerating NAFDAC, the civil servant said that most of the manufacturers present the right food products for reviews and inspection only to start producing substandard products after NAFDAC, SON must have issued them with approvals.

    However, that excuse does not exonerate the regulatory agencies as their duty does not end with the first inspection. They are supposed to carry out regular checks and monitoring to ensure standards are enforced and maintained.  Besides, they are residents of this country and definitely they are equally patronising those products.

    Reacting to the issue in her office at NAFDAC office, Isolo, Lagos, NAFDAC Public Relations Manager, Mrs. Christie Obiazikwor, said that the sausages actually have beef filling. Strongly debunking claims that the stuffing were anything other than beef, she said that the agency would not have approved them if that was the case.

    At the office of CHI Ltd, the company’s Customer Relations Manager insisted that the stuffing in both Super bite and Beef Rolls produced by them were minced meat.

    In fact, she said that at a time they had complaints from consumers who said that they were coming across difficult chewy parts of meat when they munched their beef rolls, adding that their recipes are a reflection of consumer demands and wants.

  • One man’s meat

    … Could be everybody’s poison, so Nigeria must respond appropriately

    The recent declaration that processed meat and red meat are linked to the occurrence of cancer is a stark reminder of the need for Nigeria to fully enforce its regulations regarding the importation of processed foods, nutritional and dietary standards, and consumer protection laws.

    The International Agency for Research in Cancer (IARC), an agency of the World Health Organisation (WHO), claims that processed meats like ham, bacon, sausages and hot dogs can increase the risk of colorectal cancer. The agency also stated that the consumption of red meat such as beef, lamb and pork is linked to the development of pancreatic cancer and prostate cancer.

    As a result of these findings, IARC has put processed meats in its Group 1 category, where substances like alcohol, asbestos and tobacco smoke are also found, although they have different levels of risk. Red meat was put in the Group’s 2a category.

    Nigeria must respond to this warning with all the seriousness that it deserves. Once upon a time, cancer used to be identified mainly with industrialized nations, reflecting their more sedentary and indulgent lifestyles. That is no longer the case.

    There are an estimated two million cases of cancer in the country at present, with 100,000 new cases developing annually. Breast cancer is the most prevalent, with prostate cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer and oral cancer also becoming increasingly common.

    While most of these cancers are treatable if discovered early, they are very expensive to treat, and Nigeria lacks the facilities required to do this effectively. The result is that wealthy citizens seek treatment abroad, while their poorer compatriots content themselves with whatever is available at home.

    Given the country’s manifest inability to cope with a rise in cancer cases, it is obvious that preventive strategies are the most appropriate response to IRAC’s warnings.

    In the immediate short-term, Nigeria must step up its surveillance of imported processed meat. At present, the country is a virtual dumping-ground for all kinds of food items, a significant proportion of which are either expired, uncertified or deemed unfit for human consumption elsewhere.

    To this end, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) must ensure that unwholesome food items are no longer allowed easy passage into the country. NAFDAC has an ally in the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), whose remit is that of ensuring that consumers are not exploited or victimized by firms doing business in the country.

    Increased enlightenment campaigns should complement the enhanced surveillance of processed meat. Nigerians must be educated on the connections between specific lifestyle and dietary practices and the likelihood of contracting cancer. For example, it should be continuously stressed that smoking still has the highest risk factor for cancer, while those of processed meat and red meat are far less.

    In the absence of the comprehensive scientific information on cancer in Nigeria, rumours and anecdotes abound, with the result that the citizenry are at the mercy of quacks, faith healers and scammers whose ruthless exploitation of the situation only worsens matters.

    Nigerians themselves must undertake a comprehensive review of their own lifestyle and consumption patterns. Decades of aping western lifestyles has put them in the paradoxical situation of enduring western ailments without enjoying western standards of medical care. Apart from the explosion of cancer cases, steep rises in diabetes, heart disease and childhood obesity show how over-indulgence has had disastrous consequences for the nation.

    It is time to cut down on the consumption of fast foods that are replete with sugar, salt and fat. Meat should be consumed in moderate quantities, whether it is processed or not. The intake of carbonated soft drinks, beer and spirits must be reduced. Nigerians should exercise more. Those who live to eat often discover that what they consume ultimately turns around to consume them.

  • How hygienic is that meat?

    How hygienic is that meat?

    Buying and selling of meat in bits takes place mainly in the open market as not everybody has the financial means to buy a whole livestock to refrigerate. However, the issue of hygiene becomes a factor to consider when patronising meat sellers in the open markets.

    Experts and nutritionists say that if nutrients must be gotten from this produce, it is important that they are kept hygienic and healthy at every stage of processing, including having a clean environment where they are processed. Meat at every point should be suitable for human consumption.

    Most meat markets in Lagos can be considered neat as traders get rid of bones after their daily sales. Some choose to make their sale mobile by carrying it around within the market to save them the stress of cleaning after each day’s business. This neat attitude is not just because they are clean but because of government agencies that have made it a point of duty to close down meat markets that decide to make dirtiness their lifestyle.

    In a visit to the meat section of Ketu and Ikotun Market, The Nation Shopping gathered the diverse opinion of buyers on how hygienic they think the meat they buy is. Most buyers felt it was hygienic enough because it is well processed and preserved. A shopper in Ikotun Market, Mrs Romoke Adegbenga agreed that “I believe the meat we buy from these meat sellers are hygienic because of the way it is being processed and you can see that the water they use in washing before selling is clean compared to some other markets that use dirty water in washing theirs ”.

    Mrs Bukola Taiwo another buyer feels it is hygienic for consumption. “The meat is good and this is where I buy my meat right from time and it is good to me. I believe if the animal being slaughtered is healthy, then the meat should be alright.  And also, the environment looks neat for selling the meat and the sellers are being careful as to how they display their meat”, she said.

    Another meat buyer, Mrs. Taiwo Ojo, affirmed what the previous buyer said. “The meat I buy in this market is always neat and hygienic.   There are no foreign  bodies in it,    ” she said.

    However, there are some people who believe that the meat they buy from the sellers are not hygienic enough except for when they are cooked.

    Speaking with Mrs. Rasheedat Bayode in Ikotun market, she had a contrary view,  saying:  “If you look around, even if the place it is being processed is hygienic, the way it is been displayed is something that gives me a lot of concern. They don’t cover their meat with maybe nylon or have a shed where they sell.This makes the meat to  attract flies and they carry bacteria around which is very unhygienic and unsuitable for consumption. The only saving grace we are having is the fact that it is been boiled before eaten if not it would have  been  injurious  to our health.”

    Mr. Ayo Moses who buys meat in Ketu market also believes the meat sellers are not hygiene conscious. He said: “The meat is very unhygienic because there are flies around it. In fact, the abattoir is very dirty. It is even possible to contact diarrhoea and dysentery if you are not careful”.

    Also, Mrs. Florence Adeyemi feels same as she said, “I can’t say much about how hygienic the meat is because I have never witnessed them bringing in the meat to the market. I only see them displaying it on their tables. But displaying it in an open place like that where people move around and in the process raise dust is what I don’t like. Because of that, I feel it is not hygienic enough.”