03/08/22

Is the cow hide ‘ponmo’ safe to eat?

panmo
Women selling ponmo (cow hide meat) at the market. Ponmo is a popular food in parts of Nigeria and across West Africa. Copyright: Royal Uche

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Ponmo – cow hide meat – is a popular food in parts of Nigeria and across West Africa. But nutritionists and scientists in the region warn about the safety and nutritional value of this local delicacy.

In this episode of Africa Science Focus, our reporter Royal Uche speaks with Abiodun Wahab, program operations officer at the One Health and Development Initiative, about the toxic bacteria found in the meat even after cooking. Sherifah Wakil, associate professor of microbiology at the University of Ibadan, shares findings from her latest research on the contamination of the meat. And Obaisi Alaanuloluwa, environmental and social development consultant for the World Bank, explains how ponmo affects the environment.

This piece was produced by SciDev.Net’s Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.