Concern over edible oil trade at open spaces

Dar es Salaam. Increasing trade in cooking oil could be good for the country’s economy, but conducting the business in an open atmosphere is dangerous to the health of consumers, The Citizen, can report.

Trading cooking oil at an open atmosphere divulges the consumable to the influence of oxygen, therefore welcoming the possibility of oxidation reactions that would finally cause food rancidity.

Oxidation reactions result in the formation of free radicals that generally damage the cooking oil and food products in general.

The Health Implications of Rancid Fats and Oils report 2020 published by the Olive Wellness Institute shows that consumption of rancid fats and oils may reduce the food nutrition value by destroying important vitamins including Vitamin A and E.

“There is evidence showing that decomposition of products produced by oxidised oil may be detrimental to health. This has been linked to development of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases,” reads part of the report.

In animal studies, exposure to oxidised oils and fats has been shown to cause harm including growth retardation, organ toxicity, accelerated atherosclerosis, reduced immunity, high new-born mortality and increased maternal insulin resistance, according to the report.

These health dangers have forced the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) and sunflower edible oil stakeholders to declare crackdown against cooking oil traded in the open atmosphere in the central regions.

The Tanzania Sunflower Processors Association (Tasupa) member who attended the meeting gathering several stakeholders told this paper on anonymity that rancidity led to several health snags.

“They include stunting children, different types of cancer, hypertension, increase in cholesterol levels and glue in blood vessels leading to impotence,” said the source.

He said most sunflower oil traders are not processors, but they have printed labels resembling those used by actual processors and used them without their consent and knowledge.

According to the source, most traders have not received training on producing quality products and better preservation methods.

“Some of them use used packaging materials for the packaging of edible oil they sell along the highways, roads and outside some shops. A few of those owning processing factories do not abide by hygiene requirements therefore posing health threats to consumers,” says the source.

“Processors lack expertise in sunflower cooking oil processing. Others are accused of adulteration whereby processed product is mixed with other substances such as transformer’s oil,” adds the source.

But, Tasupa chairman Ringo Iringo said the meeting was convened on October 19, this year, during which it was resolved that sunflower oil sold at open atmosphere should be seized and destroyed to protect the public health.

“The decision was reached after TBS expressed its worries on the possible health impacts including the possibility of causing deadly diseases like cancer, cardiovascular diseases due to an increase in cholesterol in blood vessels, stomach-aches, throats and diarrhoea as well as skin complications,” he said.

Mr Iringo said TBS insisted on the need to sell cooking oil and other foodstuffs in places with shades and normal temperature.

He said Tasupa and its members are obliged to ensure the health safety of the public in collaboration with TBS, the Small Industries Development Organizations (Sido), the Central Government, the Local Government Authorities (LGAs) and healthcare officials.

“We therefore support TBS in the crackdown decision to ensure such products are removed from the Central Zone’s market and educate the society from abstaining from the use of the same,” he said.

He said in partnership with other stakeholders including the Mennonite Economic Development Associates (Meda) Tanzania, the United States Agency for International Development (Usaid), BusinetAfrica and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), they have been educating and training the society.

For his part, the TBS Central Zone manager, Mr Nickonia Mwabuka said cooking oil and other consumables should be sold at recommended temperature in order to protect their quality.

“I don’t have any data on the amount of seized products. However, product’s confiscation will be our last option because our office is obliged to support the businesses prosperity,” he said, insisting that product seizure will be executed when the situation is critical,” he said.

According to him, TBS has started educating citizens about the negative impacts of trading food products in an open atmosphere, therefore posing threats of causing health challenges to consumers.

For his part, Tasupa’s chief executive officer Daudi Mwasantaja said sunflower traders should follow health directives and avoid exposing the produce to the open atmosphere and use labelled containers.

“Tanzanians should tap every single opportunity without hurting the health of citizens. We have serious diseases nowadays, children under 18 years could be diagnosed with kidney failure or cardiovascular complications,” he said.

“Sunflower cooking oil is very weak when exposed to sunlight. We are required to access ourselves and ensure we strictly prohibit consumables, especially cooking, to be traded in an open atmosphere,” he added.