An unhealthy practice is developing more and more in Togo. It consists of resellers of food and other edible foods, to replace sugar with formalin, a toxic chemical compound. At the expense of the health of consumers and the guilty silence of the authorities and consumer associations.
To sweeten certain foods such as fruit juice, appetizers, bread, cakes, porridge and other various drinks and sugary foods, the resellers prefer to use the formalin they say sweeter to the detriment of ordinary sugar, the sucrose.
We find the formaldehyde used in the kitchen so in the markets and retailers in the form of small grains, sold from 100FCFA. "It costs a lot less than normal sugar but is much more efficient," says an anonymous juice reseller at a primary school, confirming the mercantilist view behind the practice that consumers still want more sugar.
Some say to a local duck that they do it to attract customers. "I use formalin to have a lot of customers. When the bissap is sweet, customers like it, they love it, "says a saleswoman of bissap. Elsewhere, formalin is used for other arguments. We are talking about the high cost of sugar. "Sugar is too expensive. If I sell cakes, I do not earn much. But when I use formalin, profit is important, "confesses a bake seller.
According to a specialist in food hygiene, chickens and rumps that come from abroad are injected formalin. This product is used for several reasons. First, for fresh food to keep the same volume at the beginning of the import and also for the chickens to resist long before their decomposition, even if they were not sold in time.
This product used to embalm human bodies in morgues is also abusively used to inflate, better, increase the volume or weight of frozen foods imported from abroad. According to a chemist, the shape of the compound used in the morgue is slightly different from that used in cooking.
Carcinogen
Formol is an organic compound of the family of aldehydes, chemical formula CH2O, also called methanal or formaldehyde or formaldehyde. It is commonly used for the conservation of animal or plant tissues and as such used for taxidermy.
It is found in insulation foams, agglomeration panels, some shampoos, some paints and food packaging, carpet glue, dry-cleaned garments and cigarette smoke. This means that in reality, this compound has nothing to do in the kitchen.
"The use of formaldehyde affects the health of populations," explains a specialist in food hygiene. Inhalation or ingestion can cause serious illness and death. Inhalation causes headache, nausea, vomiting, irritation of the respiratory tract. Ingestion can cause burns of the digestive tract and blindness. Scientific studies indicate that there are dangers associated with product penetration into the digestive system. According to Dr. Koudoha Martin, formaldehyde solutions are toxic if ingested, that is, swallowed.
The ingestion of formalin by accident or in cases of suicide or homicide causes burns by corrosion in the mouth, throat and digestive tract, as well as vomiting of tissue and blood. Once ingested, formaldehyde is rapidly converted to formic acid, which can cause metabolic acidosis, as well as damage to the liver and kidneys resulting in jaundice (hepatitis) and swelling of body tissues. In severe cases, there may be disorders, central nervous system depression and death.
It is a carcinogenic substance. Handling under certain conditions requires adequate protection: gown, gloves, goggles and ventilated hood.
But in Togo, this product continues to be present in food served on every corner, in the total silence and absolute health authorities and consumer associations, much more prompt and loquacious, on softer issues.
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