From factory to table: Hidden health risks in contaminated sugar

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Every morning, people wake up and for breakfast, they reach for a spoonful of sugar, stirring it without a second thought. What ends up on the table is often taken on trust.

However, what if maybe the sugar is not meant to be consumed but for industrial processing? Last week The Standard revealed that a massive shipment of raw, impure industrial sugar valued at Sh1.5 billion had been diverted from the Port of Mombasa for repackaging and sale for household consumption.

However, this is not new. In 2018, the then Interior Cabinet Secretary, Fred Matiang’i, tabled a report before a joint parliamentary committee on Trade and Agriculture, one which ended in the confiscation of contraband goods worth Sh1.2 billion. They had been tested and found unfit for consumption.

He cited porous borders as the biggest challenge in the fight against illicit trade. Matiang’i said the borders were aiding the infiltration of counterfeit and contraband goods.

Industrial sugar is used for the production of commercial food and not for household consumption. The main difference being how it is packaged and processed. It is mainly used in the bakery industry, beverage manufacturing, and packaged food brands.

Dr Joseph Wahome Mukundi explains that the main concern is that the industrial sugar is not refined and the extraction of purity is not yet done adequately and still has heavy metals found in unrefined sugar.

"Industrial sugar is still in almost its low state. It has a very high calorific value and is basically with fructose. When people take it in domestically, they'll still be using the same amounts they use for normal sugar. Consistently used can lead to a likelihood of diabetes because basically it's high sugars which have not been broken down."

On whether it can cause cancer if consumed as table sugar, Dr Wahome says, "Not really, because we can't say it has cancer-causing elements. Remember, it is being used for bulk usage in industries for the sweetening of their products. So it is still used and consumed in one way or another. But when you're using it on an industrial scale, it's in large amounts mixed with other components for say sodas and other flavoring agents that are used in the industry. So ideally it is designed for bulk usage." 

However, he warns that if it’s being used in the house and may have traces of heavy metals, like mercury, and cadmium, then it may cause harm to major organs: kidneys, brain and nervous system.

On how chemicals like mercury can get in sugar, Dr Wahome says, “When sugar is grown in soils, in various soils from different regions, it will pick up some of the metallic elements or elements in those soils.” 

Public Health Union Secretary General Brown Ashira says sugar is part of food and how you process it matters.

“The materials you use matter also the exposure and how you store it also matter. Not to sound an alarm, because things like heavy metals like lead and cadmium are contaminants, they can belong to the packaging materials, particularly when you're using plastics. You're likely to find the microplastics and the impurities.”

Ashira insists on one observing the highest level of sanitation and hygiene, particularly when handling processed sugar. “We advise that those who are handling that sugar must be medically examined to ensure that they are fit to handle food.”

Nutritionist Berline Nemali, warns that some of the short-term effects of industrial sugar on the body include: acne, bloating, digestive conditions, intestinal issues, and in children, persistent colds.

Nemali says kidney problems have long-term effects because they can process some of the harmful metals from the industrial sugar.

“Other long-term effects include liver conditions because of the presence of things like mercury, hormonal imbalance. In men, we see things like low testosterone production,” she says.

The nutritionist says the body cannot process the high metals found in the industrial sugar. “So, what usually happens when you consume that sugar, you'll have a triple or double insulin rise, whereby it's supposed to regulate the sugar, but it does not actually work effectively. And as time goes by, you get people having diabetes and such conditions.”

Some of the symptoms include dizziness, headaches, children not able to play well and feeling extremely thirsty after consuming sugary foods. Then when you have a cold, the symptoms are not the usual ones.

Where is industrial sugar used?

It is mostly used by food manufacturers. However, some manufacturers may require a very specific kind of sugar. According to Coherent Market Insight, a beverage company might need sugar that dissolves quickly. On the other hand, a bakery may prefer slightly larger crystals for certain products. Variations in ingredients are important since they can affect the texture of the final product.

Sugar can improve flavour, help create certain textures, and balance acidity. In some products, sugar also acts as a preservative because it reduces moisture levels.