PONMO CONSUMPTION DANGEROUS TO HEALTH: SCIENTIST

PONMO

 Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Leather Science and Technology (NILEST), Zaria, Dr Isuwa Adamu, yesterday warned against the consumption of animal hides and skin known locally as “ponmo”.

Adamu told newsmen that the consumption of the product as meat substitute was dangerous to health.

According to him, scientifically, ponmo does not have any nutritional value.

“In fact, it is not advisable for you to consume ponmo in the sense that some of the animals killed and used for ponmo actually have skin diseases. Some of these skin diseases are such that boiling them ordinarily, may not kill the bacteria,’’ Adamu said.

He added that some of the animals killed had been ill and were receiving injections but the rearers went ahead to kill them, leaving the buyers vulnerable to chemicals in the animal skin.

“Some of the animals, because of the ailments that they have suffered, are sometimes treated by way of injection with chemicals. People don’t allow these chemicals to complete  their natural cycle and be removed from the body; they just go ahead to kill these animals. So, if you consume ponmo, the tendency is that you are consuming the chemicals directly because the skin part of the animal retains most of the harmful substances. Remember that your skin is the major protective organ of your body and it harbours so many of the harmful things that are supposed to penetrate into your body,’’ he said.

The NILEST boss said the institute was making efforts to sensitise the public and advise governments on policies that will help to reduce the consumption of animal skin to the barest minimum.

He added that because ponmo consumption is a national and traditional issue, just putting up laws may not stop it.

Adamu advised the government to come up with policies that could be enforced to reduce the consumption of hides and skin as meat substitute.

He added that such would enhance the quality and quantity of raw hides and skin that are available to meet the demands of tanneries. (NAN)