TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Drinking feni or any kind of alcohol stored in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) containers can cause cancer, Dr Suresh Shetye, vice president of the Goa Cancer Society said while speaking at a function on the eve of World Cancer Day, organized by Manipal Hospitals, Dona Paula.
Dr Shetye cautioned that the practice followed by most traditional brewers of feni is to store it in PVC drums or other PVC containers and sought that the government act against this practice.
“The free radicals from the alcohol, mix with the free radicals from the PVC and they form a carcinogenic (cancer causing) compound,” Dr Shetye said.
“Once that happens, it is irrelevant whether it is later stored in a glass or PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottle,” he added.
He sought that the government, especially the health department, act against the practice and ensure that all brewers of feni use either the traditional mud pots, or other food grade plastic containers. Dr Shetye said the problem could arise with any alcohol that is stored in the PVC containers and that food grade PET containers were also acceptable.
“There is no problem with PET plastic or with glass or mud pots,” he added.
Dr Shetye said that the artificial colouring used in many fast food stalls and restaurants was also a cause of concern because many of these colours are not approved as edible and are also carcinogenic.
“The health department needs to be stricter with these,” he said adding that he himself has encountered packets of banned colours at fast food stalls including those being sold to children.
Dr Shekhar Salkar, a surgical oncologist cautioned about the presence of colon cancer in Goa which he said could be on account of the high consumption of red meat among Goans as well as incidence of breast cancer, which he said could be because the birth of the first child among Goan women is late in life and often in their 30s, the fertility rate among Goan women is low.
“A woman who bears her first child after she is 30 has 30 per cent increased chances of acquiring breast cancer than those who have encountered it earlier,” he said.
Dr Shuba Jyothy a radiation oncologist, G Karthihaivelan unit head and Dr Aman Naik, Medical Superintendent of Manipal Hospital were present at the function.
