Introduction

It is becoming increasingly difficult to feed people in Cameroonian urban centers. Yaoundé, capital of Cameroon, is no exception to this observation. Indeed, a growing danger threatens the health of consumers of food sold in our markets, and it is the technique of preserving said foods (fish, meat, fruits and vegetables) using formalin. It is the most used product in this sense, according to the information services of the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Health, causing a real public health problem. In this article, our aim is to draw the public’s attention to the dangers of this practice.

Development 

Formalin and its dangers in food

Formalin (methanal, formaldehyde or formaldehyde) is a chemical product, an organic compound of the aldehyde family, with the chemical formula CH₂O. It is a colorless liquid (similar to water in a transparent bottle) generally used in the field of forensic medicine for the preservation of bodies in particular. It is also used in the food industry with very strict dosage regulations. It is a liquid that has a pungent odor (strong and irritating odor). If it is ingested beyond the tolerated dosage, it is very dangerous for human and animal health. The main route of exposure to formalin is respiratory because it is a very volatile substance. The cutaneous route is limited due to a reduced absorption capacity on the skin. In all cases, the use of formalin on fresh food is dangerous for health.

Effects on skin:

Irritant effects: formalin irritates the skin. Local skin effects depend on the concentration of formaldehyde, ranging from mild irritation (1% solution) to caustic lesions (concentrated solutions).

Allergenic effects: Formalin, after skin exposure through direct contact, attaches to skin proteins and can cause localized allergies such as contact eczema.

Ocular, ENT and pulmonary effects: 

Foods preserved in formalin are severely irritating to the eyes. Signs of severe irritation of the ocular mucous membranes, respiratory tract and lungs appear in some cases. Exposure to a high concentration is intolerable and can cause death within minutes.

Carcinogenic effects: 

ingesting foods preserved in formalin causes several types of cancer: eye, skin, lung, stomach, liver and even blood cancer.

Some tips for recognizing foods preserved in formalin.

It is not always easy to recognize these poisoned foods but there are constant facts which are not misleading and which every housewife should practice.

• If you see meat or fish in open-air stables and there are no flies lurking around, be careful; there is formalin which repels them;
• If you have tomatoes that are very red, but when you cut them, the seeds are all green, then know that they have been ripened in formalin. When used to make sauce, the taste is sour in the mouth;
• Ripe bananas and plantains with very bright yellow and green tips are very attractive but have been ripened in formalin. To recognize them, simply peel a unit lightly; if the middle shows black traces, then there is formalin. When you eat them already cooked, they are very white in appearance and the middle is still hard. If these bananas and plantains have just been sprayed with formalin, we recognize them by waiting a few minutes, then peeling a unit, if the inside of the skin is green or yellow, then there is formalin.
• When the vegetables you find at the market at 12 p.m. have their leaves still very fresh, as in the early morning, they have been preserved in formalin. When you see this, go for the withered leaves. The same goes for green condiments, including peppers.

How can the housewife cope with this situation?

The housewife or any buyer must:

• Make careful enquiries before making purchases at the market;
• Take plenty of time when shopping in the stables at the market;
• Soak fresh food in this solution of crushed charcoal and bicarbonate for at least 30 minutes before cooking. Charcoal, through its chemical properties, absorbs formalin and pesticide residues used for the growth of food plants.
• Make arrangements so that members of the household eat less outside the family setting.

Conclusion:

The consumption of foods preserved using formalin is growing in the city of Yaoundé. The negative consequences on health are numerous and it is urgent that this fact be stopped.

Translated by: Abdourahamane Diallo