Consuming rotten, deteriorating tomatoes may cause liver damage

As the economic situation bites harder, Nigerians keep devising means to either cut down on the consumption of certain foods or look for cheaper alternatives to still have such included in their meals.

One of such sought-after food products bought at a very cheap, affordable rate but which experts warn comes with its consequences is rotten tomatoes, popularly known as esha.

They advised Nigerians not to compromise their health by consuming rotten tomatoes as it is harmful and contaminated, noting that money saved while buying such may eventually be used to treat life-threatening medical conditions.

According to them, rotten tomatoes contain certain substances, such as mycotoxins and aflatoxins capable of causing damage to the liver, impair child development, and potentially lead to liver cancer.

A Clinical Nutritionist at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Susan Holbrooke, said rotten tomatoes are unsafe for consumption and may damage the liver, impair child development, and also cause miscarriage

She said rotten tomatoes contain aflatoxin and would have been contaminated by fungi diseases.

Experts say tomatoes are the major dietary source of antioxidants that protect against cell damage, adding that they are also high in Lycopene, a plant compound linked to good heart health, cancer prevention, and protection against sunburns.

They stressed that tomatoes can be a valuable part of a healthy diet, however, that as important and nutritious as fresh tomatoes are to the body, they can be deadly if consumed when rotten.

Speaking in an interview the nutritionist said rotten tomatoes contain mycotoxin, which can damage the liver of those who consume them

According to her, what we consume is expected to serve as nutrients and medicine to the body and not disease.

“Rotten tomatoes are unsafe for consumption. It can cause liver damage. For a woman who is pregnant and has too much mycotoxin in her system, it can cause the child to be stunted. That’s why aflatoxins are poisonous to the liver. Our liver is like a powerhouse that promotes both the good and the bad things.

“When the bad thing overshadows the liver, that portion of it will be impaired. Aflatoxin causes immune deficiency in animals. It causes serious liver damage in human beings and rotten tomatoes have been known to cause so many health challenges.

“Rotten tomatoes contain aflatoxins, which can predispose those who consume them to cancer. Aflatoxins are poisonous substances produced by certain kinds of fungi which are called molds.

“They are found naturally all over the world and they can contaminate food crops and pose serious health threats to humans and livestock.

“As I said, aflatoxin causes immune deficiency and serious liver damage in humans. It affects growth in children by causing delayed child development and liver cancer

“Those are the things that aflatoxins have been known to cause and which are contained in rotten tomatoes.”

National Cancer Institute said exposure to aflatoxins is associated with an increased risk of liver cancer

“People can be exposed to aflatoxins by eating contaminated plant products (such as peanuts) or by consuming meat or dairy products from animals that ate contaminated feed”, the institute stated.

Researchers say aflatoxins are fungal toxins that possess acute life-threatening toxicity, carcinogenic properties, and other potential chronic adverse effects.

In a 2016 study published by PMC journal, the researchers said dietary exposure to aflatoxins is considered a major public health concern, especially for subsistence farming communities in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where dietary staple food crops such as groundnuts and maize are often highly contaminated with aflatoxin due to hot and humid climates and poor storage.

“Aflatoxin exposure can occur at any stage of life and is a major risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma, especially when hepatitis B infection is present.

“Recent evidence suggests that aflatoxin may be an underlying determinant of stunted child growth, and may lower cell-mediated immunity, thereby increasing disease susceptibility”, they said.