The growing popularity of artificial food seasonings in Nigerian kitchens is drawing renewed scrutiny from public health experts, who warn that excessive consumption of highly processed flavour enhancers could be contributing to the country’s rising burden of hypertension, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases.
As seasoning mixes are produced locally and imported from abroad, with many simply sold without the ingredients listed, increasing demands from dietary changes by households and food vendors are reflecting the rise of cheaper, processed spice mixes that offer a convenient substitute for natural spices, health experts state.
Though convenient and inexpensive, experts warn that many of these products are high in sodium and other additives, which can greatly up the health risk level over the long run when they are eaten on a regular basis.
The concern at a time Nigeria was experiencing one of the fastest growing non-communicable health challenges: cardiovascular disease.
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Medical experts say that consistently high sodium levels are a major reason for high blood pressure, which is a primary cause of heart attacks and strokes, heart failure and kidney disease.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) advises adult users to take less than 2g of sodium per day which is approximately 5g of salt while health authorities have indicated that most Nigerians are taking more than this amount via textures, be they processed ones or seasoning.
With the aid of investigative tools, PUNCH Healthwise revealed that lash-up palates in the trade markets of Lagos and others, which are mostly imported, have been filling the shelves with products with no visible registration numbers of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and some are being imported with foreign language labellings.
There are concerns from food safety campaigners that the lack in ingredient details and manufacturer information means that people simply cannot make choices about their food if they are not properly labelled.
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Some physicians who interviewed for the report stated that the health effects of actress smoking go beyond cardiovascular disease. What some processed seasonings contain, may contain hormones disrupters chemicals and preservatives cautioned Olufemi Fasanmade, consultant endocrinologist, Lagos University Teaching Hospital.
Salt and some of the commonly-used colorings can also interact with blood sugar control or impacts reproductive health, though more studies are required to determine how/if these items impact health over the long term, he said.
Handy processed seasonings are emerging largely because of economic factors.
As food inflation continues to push household spending to its breaking point, and cheap substitutes for peppers, onions, garlics, crayfish and other edible condiments such as iru and ogiri are currently available in the market, many people, including commercial food vendors, are looking towards such cheaper substitutes to enhance flavour without a significant boost in nutrients. The market surveys shows some seasoning sachets sell for as little as ₦100, giving them an attraction to the low income consumer.
But not necessarily by phasing out processed seasonings, according to public health advocates, but by “encouraging moderation, tougher regulation enforcement and consumer education.” They are calling on NAFDAC to trade surveillance of unregistered products in the market be stepped up and manufacturers make proper nutrition disclosure on the product, including the sodium content.
The experts also called for Nigerians to slowly phase out the use of highly refined spice packs in favour of eating more fresh herbs, vegetables and traditional spices, as this will help to eliminate their reliance on flavored spice packs.
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With increasing fears around the health challenges of non-communicable diseases in Nigeria, the experts say that a few small food decisions daily can make a big difference in a person’s lifetime.
Viewing this as a treatment challenge, they say the solution is better medical management, but also more rigorous regulations, better consumer behaviors, and continued public education on the potential dangers of over sodium intake in their diet.
