Frequent consumption of shawarma, a popular street food in Nigeria, may expose consumers to foodborne illnesses and increase long-term health risks linked to processed meat, salt, and excess calories, according to health experts. A recent investigation by PUNCH Healthwise examined the growing popularity of shawarma among Nigerians and raised concerns about both its nutritional content and the way some vendors prepare and store ingredients.
Processed Meat and Cancer Risk
One of the biggest concerns raised by experts is the processed meat commonly added to Nigerian shawarma. Sausages are a popular addition to many shawarma wraps, but the World Health Organisation's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified processed meat as carcinogenic to humans. The classification was based on sufficient evidence that consuming processed meat causes colorectal cancer.
IARC defines processed meat as meat transformed through salting, curing, fermentation, or smoking to enhance flavour or preservation. This does not mean that eating a sausage-filled shawarma once will cause cancer. The issue is regular and high consumption over time. When processed meat becomes a frequent part of a person's diet, the associated cancer risk becomes a greater concern.
Shawarma itself has not been classified by IARC as a carcinogen. The concern relates to ingredients such as processed meat and the overall dietary pattern.
Salt, Sugar, and Kidney Health
Experts also raised concerns about the amount of salt and sugar that may be present in some shawarma meals. Shawarma can contain processed meat, heavily seasoned chicken, sauces, and other ingredients that increase the overall sodium and calorie content.
Eating too much sodium can contribute to high blood pressure, which is an important risk factor for chronic kidney disease. Regularly eating meals high in salt and calories can contribute to conditions such as hypertension, obesity, and diabetes, which can subsequently affect kidney health. This is particularly relevant in Nigeria, where kidney disease has become a significant public health concern.
Creamy Sauces and Hygiene Concerns
For many Nigerians, the sauce is what makes shawarma. But the creamy sauces used in some shawarma can add substantial amounts of fat and calories to an already energy-dense meal. PUNCH Healthwise reported that some vendors use several tablespoons of mayonnaise-based or creamy sauces in a single wrap. A mayonnaise-based sauce that is improperly stored, particularly in hot conditions, can create an environment where harmful microorganisms multiply.
Poor food hygiene can cause illness much sooner than long-term health risks. During its investigation, PUNCH Healthwise visited shawarma vendors around parts of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, including areas around Ascon and Ibafo. The investigation observed exposed chicken and sauces, vegetables kept without adequate protection, and food-handling practices that raised hygiene concerns. In one instance, a vendor was observed handling food and collecting money with the same hand. Some ingredients were also reportedly kept in conditions where they could be exposed to dust, flies, and other contaminants.
Contaminated food can cause foodborne illnesses, including infections that lead to diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and other symptoms. The World Health Organisation estimates that contaminated food causes about 600 million illnesses and 420,000 deaths globally every year.
Consumers Report Illness, Study Finds Bacteria
PUNCH Healthwise also spoke to consumers who described becoming ill after eating shawarma. Their experiences included symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach pain, and weakness, with at least one person reporting that she required hospital treatment after becoming severely ill. These individual accounts do not prove that shawarma caused their illnesses, but they illustrate why food preparation, storage, and hygiene matter when buying ready-to-eat food.
The concerns are not based only on individual experiences. The report cited a peer-reviewed study that examined 199 ready-to-eat food samples in Lagos, including 35 shawarma samples purchased from vendors in Agege, Iyana-Ipaja, and Ikorodu. The study found bacterial contamination in the samples and identified organisms including Klebsiella, Proteus, and Bacillus among the bacteria detected. The finding does not mean that every shawarma sold in Lagos is contaminated or unsafe, but it reinforces the importance of proper food handling, cooking, storage, and hygiene when preparing ready-to-eat meals.
Moderation and Safer Choices
Experts are not saying that eating an occasional shawarma will give someone cancer or kidney disease. The concern is about frequent consumption and the cumulative effects of some ingredients. For people who enjoy shawarma, experts recommend moderation and making healthier choices where possible. This can include asking for less mayonnaise or creamy sauce, choosing lean grilled chicken, adding more vegetables, and limiting processed meats such as sausages.
It is also worth paying attention to the vendor. If meat, vegetables, or sauces are visibly exposed to flies and dust, if food is handled with visibly dirty hands, or if creamy sauces appear to have been sitting unrefrigerated for long periods, choosing another vendor may be the safer option. The WHO stresses that safe food requires proper preparation, storage, and handling throughout the food chain. The next time you reach for that shawarma, the issue isn't that you must never eat it again. The bigger concern is making it an almost-everyday habit, especially when it contains processed meat, heavy sauces, and large amounts of salt and calories, or when it comes from a vendor with questionable hygiene practices.
