Scientists Uncover Causes of Organ and Heart Diseases in Nigeria
- FIIRO Director-General, Dr Jummai Adamu Tutuwa warned that organ failure and cardiovascular diseases were rising across Nigeria
- FIIRO scientists reported unusually high levels of health risk factors in commonly consumed foods, particularly in urban areas
- The Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi introduced a new food-processing innovation aimed at reducing potential health hazards
Growing incidence of organ failure and cardiovascular diseases in Nigeria may be connected to the consumption of foods processed with locally fabricated grinding machines, a new report has revealed.
The Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO), while raising fresh concerns, noted that the revelation followed findings from a scientific assessment conducted by the institute.
Source: UGC
The institute said the research examined the safety of commonly used food-processing equipment across parts of the country, particularly in Lagos.
Heavy metals detected in locally processed foods
According to FIIRO’s Director-General, Dr Jummai Adamu Tutuwa, the study discovered that locally manufactured grinding machines used for processing tomatoes, pepper, onions, melon seeds and similar food items contained traces of harmful metals.
She explained that the 2013 assessment by FIIRO scientists identified heavy metals such as lead, copper, chromium, nickel, cadmium and manganese, alongside non-heavy metals including calcium, magnesium, zinc and iron, in food samples processed with these machines.
Dr Tutuwa warned that prolonged intake of foods contaminated by these substances could be contributing to the increasing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and organ failure, including among young adults, Daily Trust reported.
Safety limits exceeded in urban environments
She noted that in several cases, the detected contamination levels surpassed safety thresholds set by the World Health Organisation and the Food and Agriculture Organisation.
According to her, the problem was more pronounced in densely populated urban areas with heavy vehicular movement and industrial activity, where environmental exposure further compounds the contamination risk.
Bioaccumulation heightens long-term danger
Dr Tutuwa explained that although some of the metals occur naturally, they become dangerous due to their tendency to accumulate in the body and resist degradation within the food chain.
She described cadmium in particular as a major ecotoxicological threat because of its extensive industrial applications and its potential to cause long-term health damage when ingested repeatedly.
FIIRO introduces safer grinding alternative
In response to the findings, the institute has developed a stainless-steel pepper grinding machine aimed at significantly reducing metal contamination during food processing.
Dr Tutuwa said the innovation was designed to offer a safer alternative to locally fabricated equipment that often uses substandard or unsuitable materials, Vanguard reported.
She disclosed that FIIRO plans to partner with the National Assembly, the Office of the First Lady and other stakeholders to drive mass production, distribution, monitoring and maintenance of safer food-processing machines.
Source: Twitter
Dr Tutuwa stressed that improved regulation, effective enforcement and sustained public awareness were critical to reducing contamination levels and addressing the rising burden of cancer, cardiovascular diseases and organ failure across the country.
She added that safeguarding food safety remains central to protecting public health and preventing avoidable long-term illnesses nationwide.
Health alert: 3 infectious diseases hit Nigeria
Previously, Legit.ng reported that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said that Nigeria responded multiple infectious disease outbreaks across all six geopolitical zones.
The diseases included cholera, diphtheria, Lassa fever, and measles.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
