Thailand’s FDA warns sausages could cause serious illnesses

Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration warns people that eating a lot of sausages might cause food poisoning, as well as more long-term health problems. The FDA secretary-general urges consumers to check packaging to make sure sausages have official FDA seals before they buy them. This news comes after 14 children throughout Thailand were hospitalised for a blood disorder after eating sausages from the same factory in Chon Buri. The factory didn’t have a proper permit, didn’t pass legal standards, and had no FDA approval on its packaging.

The blood disorder the children got, methemoglobinemia, causes headaches, dizziness, and shortness of breath. In severe cases, the hands and feet may turn blue and the disease can even kill people. A doctor from the Department of Health recommends avoiding sausages that are more pink or red. He also recommended not eating too many sausages that have preservatives.

The legal limit on the number of nitrates per kilogram of food in Thailand is 80 grams. Out of 44 sausage samples the FDA has tested so far, half were found to contain unsafe levels of nitrites. The FDA plans to test more samples. Nitrate is used in many processed meats, not just sausages. The doctor warned that too many nitrates can cause food poisoning, which can cause long-lasting health effects.

Apart from the risks posed by nitrate levels, and unregulated factories, the doctor added that sausages are also high-fat, and high-sodium. He said too much sodium can raise blood pressure and cause heart disease and chronic kidney disease. The doctor recommends people cut down on sausage consumption.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World