Agency warns of the dangers of traditional remedy for morning sickness

Tuesday 15 October 2002

Ref: 484/36

The Food Standards Agency is today advising people not to eat a product commonly known as calabash chalk, because samples tested have revealed high levels of lead. The Agency is also taking immediate action to remove the product from sale.

Calabash chalk, sometimes also known as La Craie, Argile, Nzu, Mabele or Calabar Stone, is not a conventional food.

However is it eaten by some pregnant women, traditionally those from the Nigerian and wider West African community, as a remedy for morning sickness.

Exposure to high levels of lead by pregnant and breast feeding women poses a risk to the mental development of their unborn baby and breast-fed infant.

The Food Standards Agency's Dr Diane Benford said: 'We are strongly advising that people stop eating calabash chalk, particularly pregnant women and breast feeding mums, who appear to be its main consumers.

'They are particularly relevant, because the risks from exposure to lead are greatest for the unborn and developing child.

'Calabash chalk may not be a conventional food, but we do know that it is eaten by some pregnant women from Nigerian and West African communities as a traditional remedy for morning sickness.'

The FSA was made aware of the problem by the London Borough of Greenwich after results of local sampling indicated high levels of lead.

As a precaution, the Agency took 5 further samples from ethnic shops and markets in London.

The levels found in these samples were found to exceed 4.5 fold World Health Organisation safety guidelines for exposure to lead from food, the environment and other factors.

The chalk can be bought in ethnic shops and markets in the form of blocks, pellets and powders. There are no particular brands, batches or best before dates.

A Food Hazard Warning has been issued by the Agency asking Environmental Health officers to check whether they can find the chalk in their area, and if so remove it from sale.

The Agency also intends to raise with the European Commission the possibility of proposing EU-wide measures to prohibit the sale of Calabash chalk.

Anyone who has been eating calabash chalk and is concerned about their health or would like advice on other remedies for morning sickness should contact their GP or health visitor.

Notes to editors:

The test results showed levels of lead ranging from 8.2mg/kg to 16.1mg/kg.

There are no statutory limits set for levels of lead in calabash chalk. There is however a safety guideline set by the Joint WHO/FAO Expert Committee on Food Additives for the amount of lead people can be safety exposed to.

This takes into account exposure to lead through diet, the environmental and other factors.

The levels found in the samples would cause consumers to exceed the saftey guidelines by 4.5-fold, before taking into account any additional exposure from other sources.

This is based on an estimated daily consumption of 60g.