Enugu State Government and a dietician have warned against adulterated oil, unapproved colourants and unsafe packaging in the preparation of Okpa.
The Enugu State Government and a dietician have cautioned residents against using adulterated cooking oil, unapproved colourants and unsafe packaging materials when preparing Okpa, a popular traditional delicacy made from Bambara groundnut.
The warning followed concerns over claims circulating about a possible link between consumption of Okpa and kidney-related diseases.
The Commissioner for Health, Prof. George Ugwu, said residents should rely on verified medical and scientific information rather than unsubstantiated claims linking particular foods to diseases.
Ugwu spoke in Enugu on Wednesday, stressing that kidney disease can have multiple causes and that residents should consult qualified health professionals rather than rely on sensational health claims.
He specifically advised residents to return to safer, traditional methods of preparing local foods, including the use of locally produced palm oil in Okpa.
Ugwu said the state government was concerned about the quality and safety of food consumed by residents and warned against introducing potentially harmful substances into otherwise nutritious foods.
On the use of colourants, the commissioner stressed that only substances approved for use in food should be added during preparation.
“If you want to add paint into what you are eating, is that food? No,” he said.
He also called on relevant regulatory agencies to strengthen monitoring of food products and ensure that residents have access to safe and wholesome foods.
The commissioner advised residents to maintain balanced diets, exercise regularly, limit excessive alcohol consumption and undergo appropriate health checks.
He said the Ministry of Health would continue working with medical professionals and the media to provide accurate information about kidney disease and other health conditions.
Also speaking, Chioma Nwachukwu, Deputy Director of Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, rejected the claim that Okpa itself causes kidney disease.
Nwachukwu described properly prepared Okpa as a nutritious food, noting that it is made from Bambara groundnut, a legume known for its protein and mineral content.
Scientific studies support the nutritional value of Bambara groundnut and Okpa. Research on traditional dishes in Enugu State found that Okpa has an appreciable nutrient composition and a glycaemic index in the low-to-medium range.
Nwachukwu, however, warned that food safety concerns could arise from what is added to Okpa or how it is prepared.
She identified adulterated cooking oil, unapproved colourants and inappropriate packaging materials as potential concerns.
The dietician particularly cautioned against preparing or steaming Okpa in heated nylon or cellophane, recommending safer traditional alternatives such as plantain and banana leaves.
Her warning is supported by scientific research. A study specifically examining Okpa prepared and cooked in polyethylene bags in Nsukka, Enugu State, found that certain chemicals known as phthalates can migrate from packaging materials into the food under cooking conditions. The researchers noted that the presence of oil in Okpa may facilitate such migration.
Other research on Okpa has also examined the effect of different wrapping materials on the food’s microbiological quality, underscoring the importance of safe handling and preparation practices.
Nwachukwu said the concern was therefore not with Okpa itself, but with potentially unsafe ingredients and preparation methods.
“Not the Okpa itself. The problem is with some of the things people add to it or use in preparing it, including adulterated oil, colourants and heated nylon,” she said.
Nwachukwu noted that people already living with kidney disease require a different approach to nutrition and should not rely on general dietary advice.
She explained that some patients with kidney problems may need to carefully regulate their protein intake because impaired kidney function can affect the body’s ability to handle waste products from protein metabolism.
She therefore advised people with kidney disease, hypertension and other conditions associated with increased kidney risk to seek personalised nutritional guidance from qualified healthcare professionals.
The dietician also urged the public to avoid spreading unverified claims that could unnecessarily discourage people from consuming nutritious traditional foods.
She called for increased public education on food adulteration, safe cooking practices and the appropriate use of food additives.
An Okpa seller, Mrs Nkechi Ugwu, also dismissed claims that the delicacy causes diseases, saying she had prepared and sold Okpa for many years using red palm oil and pepper without artificial colourants.
She explained that the deep-red appearance of some commercially sold Okpa is often associated with added colourants, while naturally prepared Okpa typically has a lighter appearance.
The concerns raised by the health authorities and dietician highlight an important distinction: properly prepared Okpa should not be conflated with Okpa prepared using potentially unsafe ingredients or packaging materials.
With Okpa remaining a popular and nutritious Bambara-groundnut-based food in southeastern Nigeria, health experts say greater attention should be paid to ingredient quality, food hygiene and preparation methods rather than relying on unsupported claims about the delicacy itself.
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