
KARACHI:
The increase in population has simultaneously increased the demand for food because of which producers have resorted to unconventional methods to accelerate food production. Given that chicken meat is a popular source of quality protein and often a cheaper substitute for other meats, many poultry farms use ‘arsenic’ injections to accelerate the growth of chickens and give their flesh a pink colour for a healthy look.
Roxarsone is an arsenic-based drug that was used as an additive in chicken feed. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), chickens that received the drug were positive for inorganic arsenic. Arsenic leads to several health issues including blood diseases. In China, arsenic exposure has been linked to the ‘Blackfoot disease’, which is a severe disease of blood vessels. Arsenic can influence many aspects of the heme system. For instance, it decreases heme metabolism and can bind to haemoglobin resulting in lower haemoglobin concentrations. Arsenic also depresses bone marrow, which can lead to leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia. Some studies have indicated an association between arsenic exposure and haematological disorders such as anaemia. Long-term exposure to arsenic can also cause hypertension.
Comprehensive research has revealed that arsenic is extremely dangerous for humans because it causes a variety of diseases. Therefore, people should avoid eating arsenic-based chicken. Considering that inorganic-arsenic concentrations are higher in conventional samples, consumers should resort to organic chicken because it has lower concentrations and limits exposure to arsenic.
Warda Irfan
Karachi
Published in The Express Tribune, April 27th, 2022.
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