A medical practitioner Prof. Henry Urochukwu has warned that eating meat or fished wrapped and barbecued with aluminium foil is dangerous with consumers risk developing cancer in the long run.
He stated this in Abakaliki, capital of Ebonyi state while presenting a lecture during the 10th President Installation/Award ceremony of the Medical Women Association of Nigeria, Ebonyi State chapter.
Urochukwu, who is the Dean Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, King David University of Medical Sciences Uburu, said meat and fish wrapped with aluminium foil and grilled in an open fire or oven-baked allow the aluminium to concentrate in the meat or fish which if consumed with the protein can trigger ROS DNA damage.
“The presence or addition of organic acids (lemon, vinegar), oil, salt, spices, tomatoes, seasonings and water from boreholes (which contains a high amount of heavy metals) to the grill, enhances aluminium leaching during heating,” he said.
He listed other dietary patterns and lifestyles, which can lead to cancer to include excessive alcohol intake, tobacco use and food additives.
He also frowned at the burning of tires in place of wood in the removal of animal furs from meat a practice known as singeing, which he said has serious health implications and can also lead to cancer.
“Singeing has serious health implications because tire-derived fuel contains lead, zinc, copper, styrene-butadiene, carbon black, aromatic coil among others which is consumed together with the meat,” he said.
Urochukwu said proper nutrition and a dietary lifestyle can help in the prevention and management of cancers.
He however noted that lack of proper information, awareness creation and education and the near absence of safety measures as some of the major challenges in using nutrition to prevent and manage the disease.
The ceremony witnessed the installation of Dr Ugochukwu Madubueze as the 10th President of the Association and awards to four distinguished recipients among whom is Prof Johnson Obunna, Medical Director of National Obstetrics Fistula Centre (NOFIC), Abakaliki.
