By Rachel Kakraba
It is loved by many for the magic it gives to their meals. Used since time immemorial in traditional Ghanaian homes, it is worth finding out more about, this condiment called “saltpetre”. Are suggestions from a cross-section of the public linking Saltpetre to food poisoning founded? Is there any regulatory policy on its usage in the country? What do Experts, such as Food Scientists, Dietitians and Medical Doctors have to say about Saltpetre and its health effects( if any) on the consuming public? GBCGHANAONLINE finds out the origin of the mineral and how it came to be used as a food condiment.
Potassium nitrate, otherwise known as Saltpetre is popular in Ghanaian parlance as Kanwu, by the Akans, Kanwe by the Gas, akanw by the Ewes and Kanwa in both Dagbani and Hausa. It is one product widely used in Ghanaian homes as a thickening agent, especially when preparing Okro soup. It is also used to soften food and reduce cooking time when boiling beans and tough meat. The tone on this subject is set by some Ghanaians who shared their views on their preference for this condiment.
“I do not react negatively to it, when I use it in my meal. However, I am just not interested to use it for cooking I rather prefer to use ashes instead, which is also medicinal”
“I don’t really enjoy its use in my meals, besides I don’t like my okro very slimming.
“For me I don’t use it in my meal because it is very harmful. But some people also use it as medicine and that is its positive side.
“I don’t use it but my mom uses it in preparing okro soup only.
“I don’t use it in cooking my meal but I use it in herbal medicine as a preservative”
Miss Ruth a food vendor operates a food joint, which is popular in her community for Banku and Okro stew. She also sells Waakye. Knowing the role saltpetre plays in okro stew and soups as well as Waakye, she was engaged on the subject.
” I have been selling food for more than 15 years now. Some of the meals I sell are banku and okro stew, waakye, plain rice and rice balls. I use the Saltpetre in my okro stew, but that is not always the cases. This is because for some types of okro such as the “balavi” it is already very slimmy. However, I must admit that using the Saltpetre in the okro gives it a very nice colour”
Associate Professor and Head of Department, Food Science Technology, KNUST, Prof. Isaac William Ofosu, provided some clarity on the subject.
“The one we refer to as Saltpetre is actually Potassium Nitrate the one we call in Ghana “Kawu” in fact there is another one we call throner, we also mistakenly refer to that thing as Kanwu and it is not. The throner is actually a complex form of sodium carbonate”
Prof. Ofosu explained the role of the Saltpetre in food preparation.
“To make the meat look better, taste better, with all the colors and so on. Then also to prevent microbial contamination or to hold the microbial contamination to safe level. In industrial application the nitrates is also added in processing the meat and making it comunited.
Prof. Ofosu added, the one we refer to as corned beef, that broken pieces of the meat that is binding together it comes from the action of the nitrates. Some people also use it to tenderizing meat, in cooking waakye, beans, others also add it to okro to make it more discourse and all that”
But does Saltpetre has any nutritional benefit? Registered Dietitian, Mariama Akanni, said this,
“Potassium and Nitrate, so if you look at them individually, the potassium it has good nutritional benefit it’s very good for blood pressure control and the controlling of some of our muscles. But when it comes to the nitrates it is also beneficial in a way, it has anti-oxidant properties. Just that in terms of Potassium there is a limit you can go”
Nutritional or not, Saltpetre is one brisk business at the Nima Market, which is well noted for the sale of spices and other food products. Some of the traders were engaged to ascertain the origin of the product. First is Madam Amina, who has been in the business for more than 19 years.
“I sell spices and other medicinal products such as Sobolo, Army seeds, Rosemary and that’s the Kanwa, etc. I have sold this products for about 19 years now”
She said there are different types of the product and prices differ.
“There is one called Jankawa when used to cook waakye it gives it a very nice colour. An olonka of that is 50 cedis whereas the normal one you see an olonka goes for 30 cedis”
Another trader Madam Yaya, who has been dealing in the product for more than 15 years added to the conversation, stating that,
“I started selling this while in school and helping my mother in this business, so it’s been more than 15 years. It is used to prepare dishes and also used in the preparation of meals. We import it from Nigeria. I’m told it forms like a rock and so men work on it to break it. That is what God has blessed fhier land with. In Ghana I have not really heard about it being mind here. In all my years of experience it is imported. We go to Bawku for the product”
Madam Yaya told the news team that there are differences in the product and once customers seek advice on it before purchase she is willing to help. She said she also helps with education on its use.
“Because it is derived from rock, and also break it into different sizes from stone, I don’t recommend it is used directly in meals, least stones find it’s way into your meal. I usually advise you soak it in water and use the residue for cooking. It works perfect”
But is such education from traders enough? Are there any regulations on Saltpetre use? Director Industrial Support Services, Food and Drugs Authority, Kofi Essel responded to these question.
“Saltpetre, the normal salt we eat, and so many other things, we regard them as safe. It is so because there is no documented evidence of its health implication when used in moderation. It is used simply because it has a tenderizing effect.
On whether the product is banned in Ghana, Mr. Essel said, “The Food and Drugs Authority has not banned the use of Saltpetre. We will ban it if there is enough scientific evidence to suggest that it has those serious health implications.
Asked about the correlation between the use of Saltpetre and food poisoning, with reference to the recent Oyibi Yellow Sisi, Waakye joint incident. Mr. Essel, maintained that incident was not Saltpetre related.
“No about that waakye incident it was the stew not the waakye. When people are not so well informed they draw conclusions they have their own opinions. What is making things even much more difficult for us now are this local radio stations. GBC I don’t think they will employ people who have not gone to proper journalism school. But some of our people in this local radio stations, look there is nothing scientific in peoples speak for emotions throw good reasoning to the dogs, and people buy them because once you sit behind radio and talk people feel like you are informed”
Here are the thoughts of Associate Professor and Head of Department, Food Science Technology, KNUST, Prof. Isaac William Ofosu on the same issue.
“Food poisoning is the technical term what we call the food poisoning and then the food intoxication. Food poisoning is when you have chemical usually released by micro-organism found in food and then those chemicals in food will cause all the reactions that we observe, but then if also refers to the other side we refer to as the food intoxication we have either the micro-organism in there or we have the chemical in there.
When the micro-organism is present and then you eat the food you will kill off the micro-organism then you have case is closed, but then this micro-organism will produce chemical and the chemical will remain in the food then when you consume such food then you will have the food intoxication and then you have problems so that is how we use the term food poisoning or food intoxication, there’s a limit to which our bodies can pull resources and then get rid of these substances out of our system”
For General Practitioner at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr. Yvonne Mercy Addae, Saltpetre might contribute to food poisoning due to heavy metals it contains and the amount or quantity that people are exposed to. That notwithstanding, Dr. Addae is also yet to come across a specific case linked to consumption of Saltpetre.
“Our issue taking isn’t tailored to specific substances that is causing the kidney problem we usually check a few risk factors and it could be maybe diabetes or hypertension or maybe the use of herbal medication but specifically owing it to saltpetre we haven’t come across cases like that, to specifically say that we got some patients who have their kidney problem because of saltpetre that I can’t say for sure. Food poisoning in terms of the heavy metal to contain and it still comes back to the quantity they are taking”
Many Ghanaians when sick report first to Over the Counter Medicines Sellers and Pharmacies. Samira Abdul Kareem, has been dispensing medicines to customers who call at her pharmacy with all manner of illnesses. But for close to five years of practice, she is also yet to link a disease to the use of Saltpetre.
A thorny issue on the use of Saltpetre is the right quantity for a particular meal. How do lovers of the product determine this. The public has the first bite on this.
“”You determine it by the measure of the medicine you’re preparing. If something like a full bottle you can just break a piece of it and use it, because too much of it cause stomach upset.
Man “It depends on how you will use it for the okro to your own taste. But really if had lived with an elderly person you would know how much to use to give you correct results”
“She just uses some small quantity very very very small.
For food vendor Miss Ruth it all boils down to experience, adding her customers are so safe.
“For the all the15 years I have used the Saltpetre, I’m yet to receive any complaints from customers. Since I have used it for a long time, I’m able to determine the quantity for use at all times”
How about the traders? are they able to provide some direction to this? Madam Yaya has this to say.
“For Waakye of about five olonka you can use two cedis for your cooking. You can always add more if it’s not sufficient”
On the right quantity for use, Associate Professor and Head of Department, Food Science Technology, KNUST, Prof. Isaac William Ofosu, sees this as a major hurdle which requires education. He advocates more refined ways of its use as any wrong use can spell danger.
“we should be very careful in making excessive use of Saltpetre in our food”
Registered Dietitian, Mariama Akanni, is equally worried about excessive use of saltpetre, which she says can cause cancer. She encourages the public to find ways around it by sticking to the longer periods of cooking.
“There is an allowed amount and it’s very minimal. I don’t want to say it is toxic but it is toxic when it is used in excess amount”
Kofi Essel, Director Indusrial Support Services, FDA, also advocates for moderation.
“Even though it is generally regarded as safe, it is used in moderation just to give you the functional properties that you need from that material. And therefore you should not use in excess. How much of it you can add to the food, is also another thing. Nobody can tell you how much you can add to the food, it is only based on experience”
General practitioner Dr. Yvonne Mercy Addae, also advocates moderation to prevent possible illnesses that may be associated with it.
“We would have to check with the food processing industry or the small-scale food industry to find out how they are using it. I think for saltpetre even in the house when I am using my I don’t think it should be at the pulp of my finger so if anyone is using something bigger than that, then that means that they using it more than its required”
It’s might not be banned, neither can it be directly linked to certain illnesses but from all that has been said Saltpetre could be attributed to the proverbial fire which is a good servant but a bad master. Moderation must be the way to go in case you cannot do without it.
