By
Duke Nii Amartey Tagoe
 |
| Alex Segbefia, Minister of Health |
A team of researchers have disclosed that
alcoholic beverages popularly called “bitters” are harmful to human health and
are now known to increase the risk of breast cancer in women.
In
a 15 paged report entitled “Quantitative Analysis of Chemical Contaminants in
Ghanaian
Herbal Alcoholic Bitters,” the researchers revealed that “the production of
these drinks is widespread and poorly regulated and are produced in what can
best be described as bathrooms.”
The
researchers have determined that the presence of phthalates in bitters
responsible for causing cancer was from the materials used in manufacturing
Polytank and Sintex used as water reservoir for cold percolation processes by
the companies involved in the production of the bitters.
The
drinks are most of the time kept for long periods in these water reservoirs
until they are ready for bottling.
The
report also reveals that chemical contaminants in bitters have shown
reproductive and developmental toxicity in animal experiments and are known to
affect semen production in men.
The
researchers Kwaku Kyeremeh, Felix Worlanyo Agbemafo and Regina Appiah-Opong are
acknowledged as some of the best in Africa and in the world and were drawn from
the Marine and Plant Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the
Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research all of the University of Ghana.
The
investigations were carried out on a collection of samples of bitters purchased
directly from the manufacturers of the product at their premises in Accra.
Two
different batches of the product were purchased in the months of May and
November, 2012 respectively and each box of the herbal alcoholic drink
purchased contained six 750ml bottles of the drinks.
The
six bottles of each product in the same box were treated as the same batch
samples allowing enough volumes for all the desired analysis to be performed
for each batch.
All
the ten selected drinks were also studied for trace metal content and
anti-microbial activity.
According
to the researchers five most patronized brands out of the ten were chosen to investigate
for any isolable organic compounds.
Bitters
have grown increasingly popular amongst many households in Ghana and are
promoted with hilarious advertisements on Television and on Radio.
Bitters
are also believed to aid sexual performance and are also ingested as an
appetizer by many people.
The
respected researchers have cautioned that, despite the perceived benefits,
patrons of these alcoholic bitters may be ingesting contaminants which may have
some health implications.
Editorial
Solidarity with workers of ECG
The
workers of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) have a very valid point in
their opposition to the privatization of the company.
How can any reasonable person claim that the
privatization of the ECG will help end the power shortage which has hit the
country for more than three years?
The
problem of power shortage is a function of insufficient generation and not the
structure of ownership of the power distribution Company.
It
is indeed a greet pity that some Ghanaian officials still believe that they
cannot find competent people in a population of close to 27 million to manage
state enterprises.
The
inferiority complex of some of our leaders is sometimes shocking.
The Insight is firmly opposed to the
privatization of the ECG and declares its full solidarity with the workers of
the Company.
No comments:
Post a Comment