KARACHI, April 16: There have been sufficient evidence that rotten betel nut was being used in the manufacturing of sweet supari and gutka, senior members of the Pakistan Medical Association told a news conference at PMA House here on Wednesday.

Spurious betel nut, absolutely unfit for human consumption, is coated with textile dyes while aspartame and saccharin are applied as sweeteners in place of sugar, they observed. They said that primary aim of the whole treatment was to hide the physical condition and odour of the spurious betel nut.

The doctors recalled that a big consignment of imported betel nut, infected by moulds and fungi, was seized by Customs authorities recently. They claimed that the authorities were being pressured to release the consignment. They pointed out that Customs officials insisted on scientific analysis of the seized commodity which finally proved absolutely unfit for human consumption.

The doctors said that they themselves had inspected the 7,000-ton consignment in 300 containers and a random check exposed moulds and fungi which was clearly visible on the betel nut. An analysis was performed at the HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry, the added.

One of the HEJ’s reports, initialled by Dr Iqbal Chaudhary and Ms Samreen, revealed: “The provided sample of betel nut is dangerous to human health. The nuts are heavily infested with insects and microorganisms. Mould and yeast are clearly visible.”

Another report found: “More than 80 per cent of the betel nut is infested with insects and micro-organisms.”

The PMA members contended that even a good quality betel nut was injurious to health. Betel nut produces certain acids which make people addicted to it. Overuse of the substance can also cause cancer because it is carcinogenic.

The further indicated that textile dyes, used in the sweet supari and gutka manufacturing process, were not food-grade material and thus, it could safely be said that they were bad for human health.

One of the doctors was of the opinion that a strict ban should be imposed on sweet supari and gutka. “But the manufacturers, who are quite powerful because they represent business interests, resist all such moves.”

Those who spoke at the press conference were Dr Sirajud Daulah Syed, Dr Aziz Tank, Dr Haseeb Alam, Dr Habib Soomro and Dr Qaiser Sajjad.