Chijioke Iremeka
Health professionals have said it is unhealthy for children to consume undercooked chicken intestines, warning that it could predispose them to the risk of worm infection.
The physicians also cautioned that poorly cooked chicken intestines could also expose them to a zoonotic disease known as campylobacteriosis that affects both adults and children.
Chicken intestines, the physicians said, may harbour parasitic worms such as roundworms or tapeworms and if not properly cooked could expose them to worm infection.
The experts spoke against the backdrop of a current practice of some parents buying chicken intestines for their children due to their inability to afford meat, fish, or other protein sources necessary for optimal development due to the economic hardship in the country.
According to the World Health Organisation, while worm infestations occur when worms infect the intestines and other body parts, most individuals who contract campylobacteriosis experience symptoms such as diarrhea, cramping, abdominal pain, nausea, and fever within two to five days after exposure to the bacteria.
The global health body said that undercooked chicken and other meats can cause campylobacteriosis, an infection caused by Campylobacter bacteria, saying that these bacteria are commonly found in chickens, cattle, pigs, sheep, and ostriches, among other pets such as cats and dogs.
The WHO noted that the primary route of transmission is foodborne, occurring through undercooked meat, poultry, meat products, and raw or contaminated milk.
Speaking exclusively with PUNCH Healthwise in different interviews, the physicians emphasised that when chicken intestines were cooked to an insufficient temperature, parasites present in the intestines might survive and subsequently infect the consumer.
They said that children, with their developing immune systems and smaller body sizes, were especially vulnerable to such infections.
A consultant gastroenterologist and surgeon at the Epe General Hospital, Epe, Lagos, Dr Ngozi Obiora, warned that eating improperly cooked chicken intestines could expose individuals to parasites, including worms, especially if the chicken is contaminated.
She explained that proper cooking generally kills parasites and bacteria, warning that undercooked chicken or its intestine is a recipe for infection and worm infestation.
She said, “Properly cooked chicken intestines should not cause worm infestations, but consuming undercooked or contaminated chicken, including its intestines, can pose significant health risks, including the transmission of parasites and bacteria.
“To minimise the risk of infection, it is important to cook poultry thoroughly to the appropriate internal temperature and adhere to proper hygiene practices during food preparation.
“It is crucial to cook chicken intestines to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) to ensure that any potential parasites are killed.
“Maintaining strict hygiene in the kitchen—such as washing hands and surfaces thoroughly and avoiding cross-contamination—can further reduce the risk of parasitic infections from undercooked poultry.”
The doctor emphasised that undercooked chicken, particularly if the bird was infected, can carry these parasites, and the intestines might not be adequately sanitised during food preparation for safety.
Apart from bacteria presence in chicken intestines, she noted that further contamination often occurs during slaughtering when carcasses or meat come into contact with the bacteria from animal faeces.
She warned that anybody who wants to cook meat must ensure that is properly cooked until the meat turns brown, saying that meat dripping blood or looking very red has not been properly cooked.
On the symptoms, she said, parasitic infections can include abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, and weight loss, and in severe cases, the worms may migrate to other organs, causing more serious health problems.
“See your doctor for necessary treatment. Don’t self-medicate when these signs are visible,” she quipped.
Professor Godswill Nnaji
On the other hand, a consultant family physician at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Professor Godswill Nnaji, argued otherwise, saying that the issue of worm infestation due to chicken intestines had not been proven scientifically.
Nnaji said even when there are bacteria and worms in the chicken’s guts, including the intestines, we are yet to scientifically prove that consuming chicken intestines would lead to infestation, although undercooked chicken could.
He said, “There are other things that are in chicken intestines including faeces and bacteria but they might react differently to protect the gut and the intestines from being damaged by the bacteria among others. They might be anti-bacteria.
“So, I will believe the thesis when I see it published in a peer-reviewed journal because new knowledge is merging every day. Also note that some people will still be for and against a report published in peer-reviewed journals leading to more research.
“So, I do not want to accept it as scientific until several studies are being conducted no matter how small, to prove this assertion. I need to know in what chicken population it was conducted to arrive at that conclusion. It might be correct but it hasn’t been proven scientifically. That is the point that I am making.”
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