On Sunday evening NTV journalist Dennis Okari did an exclusive investigation on how butchers have been scaling for profits on meat Kenyans have been consuming. Supermarkets have been killing Kenyans slowly by injecting their meat with Sodium Metabisulfite, in order to make their meet look fresher longer.
Okari went his way from getting meat samples, testing to results, which is the actual work of certain government health officers who are earning salaries. But a broken system where corruption & incompetence thrives,won’t allow them to expose this rot in the industry. Below is the feature story that was done by Dennis:
Even the officers are watching as news. It’s all makes perfect sense now, the incidence levels Cancers in the society even among the youth is alarming, this seems to be a tradition by now the Country, MOH needs to address this issue. Sodium metabisulphite is commonly used in many pharmaceutical formulations.
It is extensively used as a food preservative and disinfectant. It has been demonstrated that sulphite exposure can affect some organs. You’ve probably encountered many products containing sodium metabisulfite without even realizing it.
Dennis Okari will change our thoughts on supermarket food. Their food handling practice is below par.
— Kant. (@Pharmacopoeia_) July 14, 2019
Sodium metabisulfite preserves food and also for commercial wine making. It is a bleaching agent in the textile, pulp and paper industries. It is also used in the chemical, pharmaceutical, film and photographic industries, and even in water and sewage treatment plants. However, pure sodium metabisulfite can be quite hazardous.
Inhalation
Inhalation of sodium metabisulfite irritates your respiratory tract. Symptoms include coughing and shortness of breath. In some individuals, sodium metabisulfite may cause an allergic, asthma-type reaction.
Ingestion
Ingesting pure sodium metabisulfite irritates your gastrointestinal system as it reacts with acid in your stomach by releasing sulfurous acid. Ingesting high amounts may cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pains, circulatory disturbance and central nervous system depression. A fatal dose is estimate to be 10 g for the average adult.
Skin Contact
When placed in direct contact, pure sodium metabisulfite can irritate skin causing redness, itching and pain.
The chemical (SMS) is corrosive to the skin so we have to wear gloves ~Supermarket source#RedAlert @DennisOkari pic.twitter.com/wevV9gy3er
— NTV Kenya (@ntvkenya) July 14, 2019
Eye Contact
Similar to skin irritation, direct contact of sodium metabisulfite with your eyes can cause irritation, pain, stinging, tearing, redness, swelling, corneal damage and blindness. These effects may be irreversible.
Allergic Reactions
Sodium metabisulfite causes extreme allergic reactions in certain sulfite-sensitive individuals, resulting in broncho constriction, shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, gastrointestinal disturbances, rapid swelling of the skin, flushing, tingling sensations and shock.
Below were reactions from netizens after the expose;
Kenyans let’s not rush for quick sales but care about Human life ,Dennis Okari Bravo !#RedAlert
— Dennis Kipkemoi (@KipkemoiDK) July 15, 2019
Dennis Okari couldn’t name supermarkets the meat samples were from but Via #RedAlert You have been enlightened,#DIY go to your favourite supermarket, buy your favourite meat, do a 4days test(keep in the open)if meat start to rot, you are safe, If meat remains ‘fresh’ name & shame
— Sir. Ahmed🐦 (@Skyneus) July 15, 2019