A joint study by the Faculty of Public Health Education, Akenten Appiah Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED), Mampong Campus, and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi has revealed that meat singed (burnt) with vehicle tyres contains harmful substances that can cause cancer.
The study led by Dr. Prosper Manu Abdulai from the Department of Public Health Education at AAMUSTED, found that meat processed using burning tyres contain high levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)—toxic chemicals known to increase cancer risk.
Samples were collected from Ghana’s five largest cities: Kumasi, Accra, Koforidua, Tamale, and Ho.
The team examined 180 samples of beef and mutton singed using three different fuel sources: firewood, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and vehicle tyres.
Their analysis showed that tyre-singed meat contained the highest levels of PAHs, particularly a dangerous compound called Benzo[a]pyrene.
Concentrations were measured at 23.1 mg/kg in cattle meat and 12.16 mg/kg in goat meat—exceeding safety limit of 12mg/kg set by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
Although washing and scraping singed meat helped reduce PAH levels, tyre-singed samples still retained dangerously high concentrations compared to meat singed with firewood or LPG.
“Children and older adults are especially vulnerable to these chemicals,” the researchers warned.
“We conducted a health risk assessment and found that individuals consuming meat singed with firewood or tyres face a serious risk of cancer, ” they added.
The study strongly recommends switching to safer singeing methods such as LPG, which produced the lowest PAH levels during testing.
It also calls for strict enforcement of regulations banning the use of tyres in meat processing, including heavy penalties for violators.
“There should be proper systems in place at abattoirs to ensure the use of LPG by all processors,” Dr. Abdulai urged.
The researchers are calling for urgent public health action to raise awareness and reduce exposure to harmful substances through safer meat processing practices.
