I did not say the food was
poisoned, I am saying they died of food poisoning. Report has it that the victims were reportedly rushed to a
hospital on Princess Road, Ilorin, when they complained of abdominal pains and
started vomiting.
Amala
is a Nigerian native food obtained from yam (Dioscorea rotundata). The yam is peeled, sliced, dried, and milled
into flour (elubo). It is thereafter
prepared into paste (amala) with hot
water.
What
could have killed these people? Two possibilities in my opinion: 1. Botulism or 2. Cyanide. The first is a biochemical
while the second is chemical.
Botulism
is a rare but serious condition caused by toxins from bacteria called
Clostridium botulinum. This could have occurred at the drying stage of the
processing step. The drying is often done using the sun. At this stage if there
is no adequate amount of sun to evaporate the moisture within a considerable amount
of time, biochemical processes will set in (most of it is undesired).
Cyanide
is a dangerous chemical found in wild species (cultivar) of yam. Cyanide is
a rapidly acting, potentially deadly chemical that can exist in various forms. Cyanogenic
glycosides are natural plant toxins that are present in several plants, most of
which are consumed by humans. Cyanide is formed following the hydrolysis of
cyanogenic glycosides that occur during crushing of the edible plant material
either during consumption or during processing of the food crop. Exposure to
cyanide from unintentional or intentional consumption of cyanogenic glycosides
may lead to acute intoxications, characterized by growth retardation and
neurological symptoms resulting from tissue damage in the central nervous
system (CNS).
If
you must sundry any food item, ensure there is adequate intensity of sunlight
to ensure food safety. Driers will be better.
Stay
safe
