In my post training diploma in environmental health sciences, a coarse for Public Health Officer. I learnt in no-communicable module that cancer involve abnormal body cells growing out of control. And in human anatomy & physiology module. I learnt about digestive enzymes high degree of specificity for their substrates.
That is: Enzymes are commonly named by adding the suffix-ase to the name of the substancs they act on-their substrates. For example, carbohydrases act on carbohydrates, proteases act on proteins and lipases act on lipids. Maltase act on the sugar maltose, lactase acts on acts on sugar lactose and urease acts on urea.
It’s from this biological knowledge that: The Food, Drugs and Chemical Substances Act. Laws of Kenya. Chapter 254. Prescribes standards for processed articles of food by setting the limits of; food colors, preservatives, additives, emulsifies in second schedule since in my view there no enzymes to act on them, hence research done on the limits the body can be able to cleanse.
Now, my worry is about those mushrooming back street confectioneries of cakes, bread and mandazis that are baked equally with additives not verified and approved by public health laboratory, neither as prescribed in CAP 254. Will they not bring about ‘confusion’ in metabolic reactions and in the process produces those abnormal cells?
So, my advise is, as public health expert, avoid packed foods with no elaborate approved ingredients label. Either by statutory agencies like KEBS or Public Health Laboratory.