Stop eating Ponmo, it is dangerous to your health – Leather Scientist





Dr Isuwa Adamu, Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Leather Science and Technology (NILEST), Zaria, on Tuesday warned against the consumption of animal hides and skin known locally as “ponmo”.

Adamu told NAN in Abuja that the consumption of the product as meat substitute was dangerous to health. According to him, scientifically, ponmo does not have any nutritional value to human health.
“In fact, it is not advisable for you to consume ponmo in the sense that some of the animals killed and used for ponmo actually have skin diseases.
“Some of these skin diseases are such that boiling them ordinarily, may not kill the bacteria,” Adamu said.
He added that some of the animals killed had been ill and undergoing injections but the rearers went ahead to kill them, leaving the buyers vulnerable to chemicals in the animal skin.
“Some of the animals because of the ailments that they have gone through, are sometimes treated by way of injection with chemicals.
“People don’t allow these chemicals to complete its cycle and be removed from the body; they sometimes go ahead to kill these animals.
“So, if you consume the ponmo, the tendency is that you are consuming the chemicals directly because the skin part of the animal retains most of the harmful substances.
“Remember your skin is the major protective organ of your body and your skin harbours so many of the harmful things that are supposed to penetrate into your body,” he explained.
He added that the skin of animals harbour so many of the harmful waste materials that the body secretes and boiling only could not remove some of those wastes.
The NILEST boss said the institute was putting up efforts to sensitise the public and advise governments on policies that will help to reduce the consumption of animal skin to the barest minimum.
According to him, ponmo consumption is a national and traditional issue that just putting up laws may not really help to stop it.
Adamu advised the government to come up with policies that could be enforced to reduce the consumption of hides and skin as meat substitute.
He added that this would enhance the quality and quantity of raw hides and skin that are available to meet the demands of the tanneries.

What is Ponmo?

Ponmo is cow skin that has been processed for consumers to cook and eat like beef. The production process of ponmo begins with the slaughtering of the cattle. Afterwards, a process known as flaying (removal of the hides and skin) is then carried out.

Ponmo is a great delicacy and an important ingredient in the preparation of several stews in various cultures in Nigeria. For example, it is a core component in Edikaikong and efo riro.

For several years, ponmo has been a delicacy; however, its continual existence may be threatened by the Federal Government’s plan to place a ban on the sale and widespread consumption of the product.


(Additional reports by NAN)
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  1. It sounds good enough to be truth. But...

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  2. i dnt seem to understand what is going on again. We shld nt eat monkey, antelop, bush meat, as if dat was nt enough now we shld nt eat ponmo. So wetin we go chop?

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  3. this is pure rubish, what else do we eat

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  4. Where is your proof?Infact i never see or had that ponmo has killed someone but meat has killed somany....mr scientis go fof another resach

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  5. Waoh! Dis is d first time I ve ever disagree with scientist. If u like take ur research to d moon ponmo shall continue to remain a staple food in africa. Ponmo dat is so sweet u ar saying it is dangerous. I am already eating one now. If u like say I am a poor man, I know dat tomoro u will eat ur own too. Laughter......

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  6. Hahaha forget that thing!!! Ponmo is our special delicacy it cannot be stopped. After all with its non nutritional value it's better than alcohol or cigarette produced by multinationals who rake billions of dollars and sending many to their early graves. There is rarely a case ill health that is attributed to consumption of Ponmo if there is; then I challenge the entire medical scientists to present a real case and not some theoretical fabrications.

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  7. The chemicals used in processing is Ponmo is harmful to human health!

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  8. Apart from the chemicals injected on these animals when sick, the processing also involves the use of chemicals too. These really do not go away after proper cooking. They instead, go into your food!

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  9. ponmo consumption is threatening d availability of animal skins for leather work. Therefore, pls stop eating it to safe our industries.why can't they put it plainly rather than fibricating lies? We know these things joor. ponmo is absolutly harmless jareee.

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    1. Help me tell dem ooo, so shameless of them to lie!!! Mstchew

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  10. yoruba pple will not accept this bcoz ponmo is their favourite meat.

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  11. Pure rubbish. Just last week the government plans to ban eating of ponmo and this week it is dangerous. Who are you fooling?

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  12. watin be ur own tribe favourite meat...monkey nd dog meat abi...fooool...

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  13. Can u specify d chemical substance that is actually harmful to humans.pls stop giving us stories that are not factual

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  14. How many Nigerians do you think is as dumb as u think? few. Oga, injections goes to the blood stream and the through all body parts and organs. So I guess what you should have said it that we stop eating meat. And if the sell diseased meat who is to blame? is there no agency that is suppose to ensure that such practice is monitored? You politicians or office hold just want to be abused. Don't you think before you talk? I imagine you presented this rubbish before your Og's at the top before coming public with. Non saw the stupidity in this crap you have come public with? encourage people to see the need to develop our leather industry rather the these story you tell to scare kids.

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  15. Hello Mr Scientist, thank you for your information. But I would rather you sounded more scientific which you claim. What chemical is involved? How does this chemical/ponmo affect human health? What is the process involved here? It will be more convincing if you could further explain the pathophysiology of the whole thing.

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  16. soak ponmo with salt before cooking. lol

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  17. Another lie from the pit of HELL

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  18. I strongly disagree with this. Except for the fact that it's consumption might be threatening the availability of quality leather!

    Ponmo processing, down here in south south is so efficient that the only thing left to consume is its delicacy;
    1. The hide is cut into smaller size and spread on fire at a temperature of 110-140 degree centigrade (oC) to burn off the skin. It is constantly rotated to make sure all hairs are burnt off. A process called flaying.
    2. The burning exposes only the hide. The exposed hide is then scrubbed thoroughly to remove the burnt skin.
    3. The scrubbed hide is then cooked for about 2-3hrs at a temperature of 120-160oC to soften the hide.
    4. The cooked hide is then scrubbed to remove the burnt coloring. Then washed severally for the neat brown color.
    5. The washed Ponmo is soaked for 10-14hrs, usually over night, and left to ferment. Fermentation is so effective that it dissolves even the cyanide in cassava during fufu processing. The effect of fermentation on Ponmo is so efficient that inhaling the fermentation water in Ponmo processing will give you a migraine. 
    6. The fermented Ponmo is then washed thoroughly and severally to remove the smells. Then taken to market.
    7. Upon purchase, the cook washes the Ponmo severally and often scrubbing with iron sponge to remove the blacking coloring and trapped sands.
    8. Then the Ponmo is sliced into smaller pieces and boiled along with meat and fish for about 30min at a temperature of 50-80oC.
    9. The Ponmo is then added alongside meat and other ingredients into the soup and cooked for 30-50mins at a temperature of 70-110oC

    Ponmo is heated up on an average of 400oC, scrubbed, fermented and washed severally! What bacteria or chemical is he talking about!

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  19. I strongly disagree with this. Except for the fact that it's consumption might be threatening the availability of quality leather!

    Ponmo processing, down here in south south is so efficient that the only thing left to consume is its delicacy;
    1. The hide is cut into smaller size and spread on fire at a temperature of 110-140 degree centigrade (oC) to burn off the skin. It is constantly rotated to make sure all hairs are burnt off. A process called flaying.
    2. The burning exposes only the hide. The exposed hide is then scrubbed thoroughly to remove the burnt skin.
    3. The scrubbed hide is then cooked for about 2-3hrs at a temperature of 120-160oC to soften the hide.
    4. The cooked hide is then scrubbed to remove the burnt coloring. Then washed severally for the neat brown color.
    5. The washed Ponmo is soaked for 10-14hrs, usually over night, and left to ferment. Fermentation is so effective that it dissolves even the cyanide in cassava during fufu processing. The effect of fermentation on Ponmo is so efficient that inhaling the fermentation water in Ponmo processing will give you a migraine. 
    6. The fermented Ponmo is then washed thoroughly and severally to remove the smells. Then taken to market.
    7. Upon purchase, the cook washes the Ponmo severally and often scrubbing with iron sponge to remove the blacking coloring and trapped sands.
    8. Then the Ponmo is sliced into smaller pieces and boiled along with meat and fish for about 30min at a temperature of 50-80oC.
    9. The Ponmo is then added alongside meat and other ingredients into the soup and cooked for 30-50mins at a temperature of 70-110oC

    Ponmo is heated up on an average of 400oC, scrubbed, fermented and washed severally! What bacteria or chemical is he talking about!

    Plus the chemicals he speaks of pass through the hide to reach the muscles where is it deposited and spread to the entire body. The chemicals are not deposited on the hide. In fact it is the flesh, particularly the muscles of those sick animals that are threat to health! They only washed and cooked then eaten unlike Ponmo that passes several heat intense processes.

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  20. Yeye dey smell. Na yesterday witch kill dat pikin. Why can't they go straight to the point. The minister of agriculture has made sense in his appeal why use fear. Where has this man been before the move to improve the tanning industry? Why is he speaking now. Na wa for us in this land.

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  21. PONMO SCIENTIST. 9JA Man. A cheep scientist. I can't be a POnMO scientist.

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  22. Ponmo scientist indeed. I don dey chop ponmo since I dey small but I never die and strong as ever....

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  23. What of other Animals Hides and Skin? must it be Cow own? Elephant Skin Nko, no be leather, Snake Skin nko? Lion Skin nko, Gorilla Skin Nko? Crocodile Skin Nko? they should catch all those other animals and use their skin. Make them leave our dear Pomo

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