Nigerian Doctor Warns: Raw Beans in Markets May Contain Dangerous Pesticides

Dr. Olusina Mike, a doctor and researcher known as thebeardedDrSina, has warned that Nigerian raw beans are among the most dangerous food items.

In a Twitter thread on Monday, he advised that if these beans are to be consumed, they should be thoroughly washed, boiled, drained, and washed again to remove harmful chemicals and pesticides used for preservation, which could be unsafe for humans.

He highlighted that one of the chemicals found in dried beans is SNIPER (2.2 Dichlorovinyl Dimethyl Phosphate (DDVP), a pesticide tightly regulated due to its potential misuse for suicide.

Another harmful pesticide detected was Dichlorvos, banned in the EU and many other countries due to its health and environmental risks. Nigerian beans contained 0.03mg/kg to 4.6mg/kg of this pesticide.

Additionally, his research identified Phostoxin (aluminium phosphide and ammonium carbonate) in the beans, which is highly toxic to humans.

These pesticides, intended to kill rats and prevent insect damage, can cause severe health issues such as vomiting, diarrhoea, headaches, seizures, and organ damage, he said.

He emphasised the need for food safety reviews before these beans are sold to the public and suggested that food agencies should test beans to ensure they are safe.

Of course, I agree chemicals and Pesticides, rodenticides, are necessary for food preservation.

Perhaps we should know the half-life when they will wear off and have food agencies test Beans before it is being pushed out to the public, he said.

Nigeria used to export dried beans, but in 2015, the EU banned these imports due to high pesticide residues. Efforts by the Nigerian government and farmers to lift the ban have been unsuccessful.

According to the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), the country loses $362.5 million annually in foreign exchange due to this ban.

Nigerian Raw Beans is one of the most dangerous foodstuff you can find in the market.

As a fact, some countries have banned Nigerian beans importation.

If you must eat beans, wash, boil, discard, wash again to remove the dangerous chemicals.

A thread
1/ https://t.co/JvDehrm4Bx

— The_Bearded_Dr_Sina (@the_beardedsina) June 17, 2024

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