Paracetamol poisoning is the commonest cause of acute liver injury. Therefore, the unethical use of paracetamol as a food tenderizer poses a threat to human health. Although this is a common practice in by some countries, there are few or no scientific records on the use of paracetamol as a food tenderizer and its deleterious effects, thus making it difficult to regulate this practice
Reports in some parts of the country indicate that some food sellers have resorted to the use of paracetamol to reduce cooking time while boiling meat, just as some of them also apply bleach on cassava used in the preparation of local food, ‘Gari’.
Health experts, dieticians and medical laboratory personnel have warned on the dangers of such food enhancers to the health of people, saying the chemicals contained in those items and other unconventional enhancers, cause enormous damage to human organs over time.
explained that drugs, unless prescribed, are poisonous, saying cooking paracetamol changes its chemical component.
Experts expressed concern that food vendors use paracetamol to cook meat to reduce the cost of energy for cooking.
“Without using paracetamol, you can tenderize meat by cooking with a pressure cooker, or soaking the meat in a highly concentrated salt-water solution before cooking.
meetings with caterers and food vendors to enlighten them on dangers associated with such practices in required
