Elements of kitchen toxicology to exploit the nutritional value of traditional African recipes in the diet of hiv+/aids subjects: the case of egusi okra soup

CaHReF 2016, Yaoundé Conges hall, 23 – 26 August 2016 , PP21

The Egusi Okra soup is a traditional African meal with high nutritional value and protective against opportunistic infections and such a predictor of HIV/AIDS patients mortality as weight loss. The paper analyses how to avoid possible negative effect on the immune system of improper kitchen practices during its preparation. In particular, we focus on toxicants (environmental contaminants, process contaminants, leaching from food contact materials) disregulating the immune system, as well as interferences (between micronutrients, contaminants, and antinutritional factors) leading to secondary nutritional deficiencies or imbalances possibly modulating the ability to cope with toxicants and therefore increasing nutritional requirements. The understanding of possible measures mitigating complications of HIV/AIDS and antiretroviral drugs while preserving the immune function may help HIV+ subjects to maintain an adequate state of health and decrease the risk of disease progression. 

Elements of kitchen toxicology are applied to identify points of particular attention for toxicological risk factors in the recipe of the Egusi Okra soup. Recommendations are given for good kitchen practices preserving the Egusi Okra soup from such risks in vulnerable points during meal preparation, from raw ingredients purchase through to food handling, cooking, storage, and consumption. The paper highlights how both the risks of nutritional deficiency or imbalances and toxic exposures call for an alliance between nutritionists and toxicologists towards infectious diseases aetiology, prevention, and treatment.

immune system; traditional diet; malnutrition; weight loss; food safety; cooking