Fumes from grilling pork a health risk for cooks and buyers, Thai PCD says

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Fumes from grilling pork a health risk for cooks and buyers, PCD says
Janjira Pongrai
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Street stalls selling skewered grilled pork are a health risk to people selling the food as well as those buying it, the Pollution Control Department has warned.

The PCD said the risks include eye irrigation, respiratory problems and even cancer.

Smoke from hot grills contains volatile organic compounds at a rate of between 168 and 441 parts per million, recent PCD research found.

"This amount of VOC may not be high when compared with smoke from burning incense sticks and exhaust fumes but over a long time, exposure can be detrimental to your health," PCD director-general Wichien Jungrungruang said yesterday.

Skewered grilled pork is a staple meal for many city residents. Street stalls selling the food can be found at almost every corner of Bangkok.

Wichien said the PCD had done tests on street stall smoke in response to queries by consumers.

"We're speaking up about this because we want to educate the public about the existing health risks," he said.

He said he feared consumers and the stall owners might not be aware of the risks associated with the smoke.

A vendor in Don Muang said he had been selling the skewered grill pork for nearly five years and had no idea about the health risks.

"But I must admit that I have experienced eye irritation sometimes," he said.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, he said he hoped the authorities would not crack down on street stalls, as that would hurt his livelihood.

"From now on, I will wear a facial mask while working over the grill," he said.

Wichien assured vendors that the PCD had no plan to take action against them. He said he planned to consult with the Public Health Ministry over the health risks vendors face.

"A study will be needed to explore measures that will minimise adverse health impacts," he said.


-- The Nation 2014-02-24

[Thai at Heart]

And......what was the point in checking it?

[londonthai]

vendors know about the risk of smoke inhalation, but most of them don't install smoke hoods with fans over the grills.

it's the public, who should be protected from poisoning.

burning incense is a completely different matter, it's done in private, often outdoor. And I don't believe it's more dangerous than grilling meat/fat

Edited February 23, 2014 by londonthai

[Thai at Heart]

vendors know about the risk of smoke inhalation, but most of them don't install smoke hoods with fans over the grills

It's being cooked.next to rush hour traffic under trees with migrating birds.. I think the smoke is the least of the worries.

Did they test to see if the ambient air was safe ?

[Gsxrnz]

I'll stick to the BBQ chicken from now on.

[Bender]

and on day, they will discover that driving while intoxicated with alcohol is also hazardous for your health...

[petedk]

Four posts before someone had to bring politics into it.

I remember reading years ago in Europe that smoke from BBQ's was dangerous but as the weather there only allowed barbecueing two or three times a year it wasn't a big problem.

I often see some of the vendors here standing in thick clouds of smoke and rubbing their eyes. This goes on all day long and every day. It can't be healthy.

[JeremyBowskill]

Working at a Moo-kata joint must be close to near suicide then.......

[hkt83100]

Did they check how the grill is ignited? The "normal" way is burning old inner tubes on the charcoal ...

[metisdead]

Off topic nonsense posts and replies have been removed.

[noitom]

The Thais make these sudden pronouncements about something like this pork grilling that has been going on for decades. Then they just say a "study" will be done. A "study" is a euphemism for passing around a little tax money or skim off some international investment or tax. Do you actually think Thais will eliminate pork grilling on the street?

[ikurauni]

I love the pork on the street. It is tasty and inexpensive. 　

I did not know that the smoke is harmful to our body.

How about the air pollution by automobile emissions?

We have a serious air pollution problem in Thailand, especially in Bangkok.

We don't have blue sky anymore.

I assume that automobile emission is more dangerous than the smoke from pork.

[jaltsc]

"We're speaking up about this because we want to educate the public about the existing health risks..."

I hope this "education" campaign works out better than the ones addressing safe driving, tobacco and alcohol use. After all, we can see how successful those campaigns were. Typical reform programs for this part of the world. Just make a statement and believe that you've done your job.

Edited February 24, 2014 by jaltsc

[geriatrickid]

vendors know about the risk of smoke inhalation, but most of them don't install smoke hoods with fans over the grills.

it's the public, who should be protected from poisoning.

burning incense is a completely different matter, it's done in private, often outdoor. And I don't believe it's more dangerous than grilling meat/fat

I don't think the vendors understand the dangers. Some person cooking on the street isn't going to be reading science or medical journals, or have even taken a course in organic chemistry.

In respect to incense, I disagree with you. The more aromatic the incense, the more likely that stick is going to have been infused with the magical 6 carbon ring based chemicals. The use of the term aromatic carbon ring refers to the reactivity of the carbon ring.these rings are easy to engage in chemical reactions and burning releases a significant amount of dangerous chemicals. Would you sit there and inhale toluene? (Think of huffers/glue sniffers). Formaldehyde is another nasty by product of the burning. Incense is turned out by the ton from factories in India and China that couldn't care less about the dangerous chemicals they use.

[Lupatria]

And......what was the point in checking it?

Now that we told you it makes you and others sick go ahead and complain about people smoking a cigarette sitting at your camping table...

[taony]

there is a pollution control department? they worry about pork fumes?

[Lupatria]

vendors know about the risk of smoke inhalation, but most of them don't install smoke hoods with fans over the grills.

it's the public, who should be protected from poisoning.

burning incense is a completely different matter, it's done in private, often outdoor. And I don't believe it's more dangerous than grilling meat/fat

I don't think the vendors understand the dangers. Some person cooking on the street isn't going to be reading science or medical journals, or have even taken a course in organic chemistry.

In respect to incense, I disagree with you. The more aromatic the incense, the more likely that stick is going to have been infused with the magical 6 carbon ring based chemicals. The use of the term aromatic carbon ring refers to the reactivity of the carbon ring.these rings are easy to engage in chemical reactions and burning releases a significant amount of dangerous chemicals. Would you sit there and inhale toluene? (Think of huffers/glue sniffers). Formaldehyde is another nasty by product of the burning. Incense is turned out by the ton from factories in India and China that couldn't care less about the dangerous chemicals they use.

Now we reached the lowest level of education. One don’t need to be a health nerd, medical doctor or rocket scientist to know that inhaling every kind of smoke is unhealthy. Why am I not surprised that the average Thai street BBQer is not aware of this?

[canuckamuck]

Why did they single out Pork?

[Keesters]

A vendor in Don Muang said he had been selling the skewered grill pork for nearly five years and had no idea about the health risks.

"But I must admit that I have experienced eye irritation sometimes," he said.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, he said he hoped the authorities would not crack down on street stalls, as that would hurt his livelihood.

"From now on, I will wear a facial mask while working over the grill," he said.

First...make money

Second...protect one's own health

Third...Forget about your customers just take care of 1 & 2 above.

[AleG]

there is a pollution control department? they worry about pork fumes?

Why not? There are thousands upon thousands of them, burning charcoal and pork fat, a very dirty combustion. I sometimes wonder how much an effect such food stalls have in the smog over Bangkok.

There's a seller at the exit of my mooban, sometimes in calm days the smoke coming from the grill covers the street 50 meters to each side.

[brit1984]

i dont think thailand is ready for this information

[dowhatuwill]

It has been known for many years that both barbecued meats, and the fumes they emit are particularly unhealthy. Fair to assume then that those who consume this stuff have little to no real concern for their health anyway.

[Kerryd]

So, it's only BBQ pork that is the problem ? Not the BBQ beef. BBQ chicken. BBQ "mystery" meat ?

Only pork eh ?

Perhaps they are referring to that one special dish that makes such thick, heavy fumes that breathing just a little will make even the healthiest lungs start to spasm ? (Pad Ka Prao ?) I think that's the name. I'm not sure what it is, but those fumes are deadly ! The last "soon-to-be-ex" went through the house closing the bedroom/bathroom/kitchen doors before she started cooking that for the first time. Took over an hour for the smell to dissipate afterwards.

But I don't think the pork has anything to do with that.

[Bkungbank]

Smoke still under accepted index but the colouring to marinate chicken or pork are a big concern for health problems, you can see the red dye colouring add in food not good esspecially school children who is buying it after school hours.

[h90]

they everywhere buy junk, mixed paper, wood, plastic, left-over food, batteries...just the complete mix and it is raining down "black snow" smelling terrible from half burned plastics, but barbecue pork is a health risk

[expat888]

I love the smell of grilling pork! Maybe that's why they decided it's bad for you because it smells good.

I think that's how those studies go anyway. If we like it then it's bad for you.

[belg]

i always wonder what meat becomes white when you cook it, specially those balls ? dogmeat? rat? roadkill? 10 baht per stick

[doremifasol]

Health risks?

What about the vendors that have never been screened for Hepatitis B?

[kuiburi]

Maybe they could tell the vendors that charcoal made of coconutshells are even cleaner then burning gas .

Most of the coconut charcoal is exported to western countries at the moment .

[Halion]

Seems strange and rather irrational to have the PCD come out now with a fact that has been known in the general population for decades. On the Eastern Seaboard chemical complex there are far more pressing issues with regard to toxic release but in general unless there are a spate of deaths the Thai's simply do not care. They know that is costs money to protect from such hazards and for them that is simply a bridge to far. Furthermore in order to protect against VOC a simple dust mask is totally useless unless all you wish to protect is your anonymity.