Hepatorenal and Cerebral Toxicity Induced by Consumption of Cow Meat Singed with Scrap Tyres: An Experimental Study in a Rat Model

Prosper Manu  Abdulai; Anthoneth Ndidi  Ezejiofor; Tamuno-Boma Odinga-Israel; Theresa C.  Umeji; Osazuwa Clinton  Ekhator; Caleb Kesse  Firempong; Orish Ebere Orisakwe

doi:10.51745/najfnr.9.20.323-338

Hepatorenal and Cerebral Toxicity Induced by Consumption of Cow Meat Singed with Scrap Tyres: An Experimental Study in a Rat Model

PDF (Full text)

Food Microbiology, Safety and Toxicology Public Health Nutrition Policy & Economics

DOI https://doi.org/10.51745/najfnr.9.20.323-338

Issue Vol. 9 No. 20 (2025): July - December, 2025

Submitted 2025-05-01

Accepted 2025-11-21

Published 2025-12-22

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made.
No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.

Background: The practice of singeing cow meat employing various fuel sources such as firewood, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and scrap tyres is prevalent across West Africa. This practice raises significant food safety concerns due to the potential for toxic chemical contamination.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the toxicological effects of consuming cow meat singed with LPG, firewood, or waste tyres on hepatic, renal, and cerebral functions in a controlled rat model.

Methods: A 90-day experimental study was conducted using sixty male Wistar rats, randomly allocated into ten groups (n = 6). The animals were fed diets containing various proportions (5:15, 10:10, 15:5) of singed cow meat and standard laboratory feed. Biochemical assays were performed to assess oxidative stress markers (malondialdehyde [MDA], 4-hydroxynonenal [4-HNE], total antioxidant capacity [TAC], glutathione [GSH]), hepatic function indices (alanine aminotransferase [ALT], aspartate aminotransferase [AST], bilirubin, total protein, albumin), and renal biomarkers (blood urea nitrogen [BUN], creatinine, uric acid). Histopathological analyses of liver, kidney, and brain tissues were also conducted.

Results: Rats fed a diet containing tyre-singed meat exhibited significant (p < 0.01) increases in oxidative stress markers (MDA, 4-HNE) and biomarkers indicative of hepatic (ALT, AST, bilirubin) and renal (BUN, creatinine, uric acid) dysfunction compared to those fed LPG- or firewood-signed meat. Antioxidant parameters (GSH, TAC) were markedly depleted. Histopathological examination revealed severe hepatic necrosis, renal tubular degeneration, and neuronal damage in the tyre-singed meat group, whereas LPG-singed meat caused minor alterations.

Conclusions: These findings indicate that consumption of tyre-singed cow meat poses substantial risk of hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, and systemic oxidative stress, raising critical food safety hazard. Strict regulatory enforcement and public awareness campaigns are urgently required to eliminate the use of hazardous materials such as tyres in meat processing.

Keywords

Singed cow meat Oxidative stress Nephrotoxicity Hepatotoxicity Food safety Scrap tyres

Prosper Manu Abdulai

University of Port-Harcourt, African Centre of Excellence for Public Health and Toxicological Research, Port-Harcourt. Department of Public Health Education, Faculty of Environment and Health, Education, Akenten Appiah- Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial, Development, Asante Mampong, Ghana.
Anthoneth Ndidi Ezejiofor

University of Port-Harcourt, African Centre of Excellence for Public Health and Toxicological Research, Port-Harcourt
Tamuno-Boma Odinga-Israel

Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Rivers State University
Theresa C. Umeji

Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Madonna, University, Elele, Rivers State
Osazuwa Clinton Ekhator

University of Benin Faculty of Science, Department of Science Laboratory, Technology, Benin City
Caleb Kesse Firempong

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Kumasi
Orish Ebere Orisakwe

Advanced Research Centre, European University of Lefke, Lefke, Mersin, TR-10, Northern Cyprus, Turkey. Provictoire Research Organization, Port Harcourt, Rivers State

PDF (Full text)

How to Cite

Hepatorenal and Cerebral Toxicity Induced by Consumption of Cow Meat Singed with Scrap Tyres: An Experimental Study in a Rat Model. (2025). The North African Journal of Food and Nutrition Research, 9(20), 323-338. https://doi.org/10.51745/najfnr.9.20.323-338

More Citation Formats

Download Citation

Abdel-Hamid, N. M., Abdel Hamid, M. M., Mohamed, A. A. E. N., & Mohamed, A. H. A. E. S. (2023). New predictive tools for liver fibrosis among non-apparently contaminated heavy metal workers. Journal of Medical and Life Science, 5(3), 195–207. https://doi.org/10.21608/jmals.2023.315833

Abdulai, P. M., Sam, K., Onyena, A. P., Ezejiofor, A. N., Frazzoli, C., Ekhator, O. C., Udom, G. J., Frimpong, C. K., Nriagu, J., & Orisakwe, O. E. (2024). Persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals in Ghanaian environment: a systematic review of food safety implications. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 196(4), 376. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-024-12500-w

Adegbola, P. I., Aborisade, A. B., Olaniyi, T. D., & Adetutu, A. (2024). Evaluation of long-term effects of nickel and benzo a anthracene contaminated diets in rats’ kidney; mimicking human exposure from food. International Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 15(1), 8–20. https://doi.org/10.62347/XGBG7652

Adenuga, B. M., & Montowska, M. (2023). The Nigerian meat industry: An overview of products’ market, fraud situations, and potential ways out. Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Technologia Alimentaria, 22(3), 305–329. https://doi.org/10.17306/J.AFS.2023.1157

Alvarez-Mon, M. A., Ortega, M. A., García-Montero, C., Fraile-Martinez, O., Lahera, G., Monserrat, J., Gomez-Lahoz, A. M., Molero, P., Gutierrez-Rojas, L., Rodriguez-Jimenez, R., Quintero, J., & Alvarez-Mon, M. (2022). Differential malondialdehyde (MDA) detection in plasma samples of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD): A potential biomarker. The Journal of International Medical Research, 50(5), 3000605221094995. https://doi.org/10.1177/03000605221094995

Barsouk, A., Thandra, K. C., Saginala, K., & Rawla, P. (2021). Reply to chemical risk factors of primary liver cancer: A short comment Response to letter. Hepatic Medicine: Evidence and Research, 13, 145–146. https://doi.org/10.2147/HMER.S352746

Bukowska, B., Mokra, K., & Michałowicz, J. (2022). Benzo a pyrene—Environmental occurrence, human exposure, and mechanisms of toxicity. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23(11), 6348. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23116348

Carlsten, C., Salvi, S., Wong, G. W., & Chung, K. F. (2020). Personal strategies to minimise effects of air pollution on respiratory health: Advice for providers, patients and the public. European Respiratory Journal, 55(6), 2056. https://doi.org/10.1183/13993003.02056-2019

El‐Desoky, G. E., Wabaidur, S. M., AlOthman, Z. A., & Habila, M. A. (2022). Evaluation of Nano‐curcumin effects against Tartrazine‐induced abnormalities in liver and kidney histology and other biochemical parameters. Food Science & Nutrition, 10(5), 1344-1356. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.2790

Ephraim-Emmanuel, B. C., & Ordinioha, B. (2021). Exposure and public health effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compounds in Sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review. International Journal of Toxicology, 40(3), 250–269. https://doi.org/10.1177/10915818211002487

Ganesan, D., Albert, A., Paul, E., Ananthapadmanabhan, K., Andiappan, R., & Sadasivam, S. G. (2020). Rutin ameliorates metabolic acidosis and fibrosis in alloxan induced diabetic nephropathy and cardiomyopathy in experimental rats. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, 471, 41–50. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11010-020-03758-y

Gbenga, O. O., Ideozu, R. U., & Osu, C. I. (2023). Potentially toxic substances in singed and unsinged cow skin from selected abattoirs consumed in Port Harcourt Metropolis. Science, 11(2), 13–18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40201-023-00817-6

George-Opuda, I. M., & Adegoke, A. O. (2024). Effects of maize cob (Zea mays) on nickel induced liver toxicity in female Wistar rat. Sokoto Journal of Medical Laboratory Science, 9(4), 98–104. https://doi.org/10.4314/sokjmls.v9i4.11

Gideon, M., Muazu, U., Mamman, A. J., & Duniya, E. K. (2024). Assessing heavy metal contamination in singed goat meat: Insights from hot water and scrap car tire singeing on public health and environmental safety. ChemRxiv. https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv-2024-xmp0d

Goutam Mukherjee, A., Ramesh Wanjari, U., Eladl, M. A., El-Sherbiny, M., Elsherbini, D. M. A., Sukumar, A., ... & Valsala Gopalakrishnan, A. (2022). Mixed contaminants: Occurrence, interactions, toxicity, detection, and remediation. Molecules, 27(8), 2577. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27082577

Hassan, W., Shrestha, P., Sumida, K., Thomas, F., Sweeney, P. L., Potukuchi, P. K., ... & Kovesdy, C. P. (2022). Association of uric acid–lowering therapy with incident chronic kidney disease. JAMA Network Open, 5(6), e2215878. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.15878

Hill, T. D. (2015). Public health implications associated with the practice of utilizing tires to singe meat in three major cities of Ghana: A concurrent mixed methods study (Publication No. 1350) Doctoral dissertation, Georgia Southern University. Electronic Theses and Dissertations. https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/1350

Hinton, D. E., Segner, H., & Braunbeck, T. (2017). Toxic responses of the liver. In Target organ toxicity in marine and freshwater teleosts (pp. 224–268). CRC Press.

Jedrychowski, W. A., Perera, F. P., Majewska, R., Mrozek-Budzyn, D., Mroz, E., Roen, E. L., ... & Jacek, R. (2015). Depressed height gain of children associated with intrauterine exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and heavy metals: The cohort prospective study. Environmental Research, 136, 141–147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2014.08.047

Kumar, R., Kumari, V. V., Gujjar, R. S., Kumari, M., Goswami, S. K., Datta, J., ... & Hossain, A. (2024). Evaluating the imazethapyr herbicide mediated regulation of phenol and glutathione metabolism and antioxidant activity in lentil seedlings. PeerJ, 12, e16370. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.16370

Kuppusamy, S., Maddela, N. R., Megharaj, M., & Venkateswarlu, K. (2020). Total petroleum hydrocarbons. In Environmental fate, toxicity, and remediation (pp. 139–165). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24035-6_6

Lazic, S. E., Semenova, E., & Williams, D. P. (2020). Determining organ weight toxicity with Bayesian causal models: Improving on the analysis of relative organ weights. Scientific Reports, 10(1), 6625. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-63465-y

Lee, H. S., & Kim, J. K. (2024). Analysis of factors affecting blood urea nitrogen levels and the role of C-reactive protein in elderly patients undergoing dialysis. Asian Pacific Journal of Clinical Research and Innovation. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.47116/apjcri.2024.08.30

Liao, Q., Huang, L., Cai, F., Luo, W., Li, M., Yang, J., ... & Zheng, J. (2024). Metabolomics perspectives into the co-exposure effect of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and metals on renal function: A meet-in-the-middle approach. Science of The Total Environment, 921, 170975. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170975

Monks, P. S., Allan, J. D., Carruthers, D., Carslaw, D. C., Fuller, G. W., Harrison, R. M., ... & Willis, P. (2020). Non-methane volatile organic compounds in the UK. Air Quality Expert Group. https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/library/reports.php?report_id=1003

Nsonwu-Anyanwu, A. C., Nsonwu, M. C., Bebia, D. P., Fabian, U. A., Offor, S. J., Egete, P. D., & Usoro, C. (2021). Chronic exposure to toluene and heavy metals and changes in indices of liver function, inflammation and oxidative DNA damage among automobile workers. Asia Pacific Journal of Medical Toxicology, 10(2), 53–60. https://doi.org/10.22038/apjmt.2021.18229

Obasi, I. C., Ohaeri, O. C., Ijioma, S. N., Okoro, B. C., & Ugbogu, E. A. (2023). Inhalation of smoke from burning tire triggers oxidative stress and impairs liver and kidney functions in rats. Comparative Clinical Pathology, 32(5), 837–846. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-023-03493-y

Okareh, O. T., Okafor, U. S., & Akinyemi, M. O. (2021). Health risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals in roasted meat commonly consumed in South-west Nigeria. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 28(45), 68306–68316. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-15370-1

Paranjape, V. V., & Garcia-Pereira, F. (2024). Physiology, pathophysiology, and anesthetic management of patients with hepatic disease. In Veterinary anesthesia and analgesia: The sixth edition of Lumb and Jones (pp. 847–861). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119830306.ch40

Qi, W., Fu, Y., Zhao, M., He, H., Tian, X., Hu, L., & Zhang, Y. (2020). Electrochemiluminescence resonance energy transfer immunoassay for alkaline phosphatase using p-nitrophenyl phosphate as substrate. Analytica Chimica Acta, 1097, 71–77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2019.10.073

Qiao, H., Morioka, Y., Wang, D., Liu, K., Gao, S., Wake, H., ... & Nishibori, M. (2023). Protective effects of an anti-4-HNE monoclonal antibody against liver injury and lethality of endotoxemia in mice. European Journal of Pharmacology, 950, 175702. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.175702

Rahman, H. H., Niemann, D., & Munson-McGee, S. H. (2022). Association of chronic kidney disease with exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the US population. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 29(16), 24024–24034. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-17479-2

Sunu, N. E. (2014). Comparative assessment of heavy metal levels in animal hide singed with motor vehicle scrap tyres and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as source of fuel Doctoral dissertation, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. KNUST Research Repository. https://ir.knust.edu.gh/handle/123456789/6699

Tartaglione, A. M., Racca, A., & Ricceri, L. (2023). Developmental exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs): Focus on benzo a pyrene neurotoxicity. Reproductive Toxicology, 119, 108394. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.reprotox.2023.108394

Tay, C. K., Doamekpor, L. K., Mohammed, S., Dartey, G., Kuddy, R., Fianyaglo, E., & Mawuena, M. (2022). Health risk assessment and source identification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in commercially available singed cowhide within the Greater Accra Region, Ghana. West African Journal of Applied Ecology, 30(1), 13–34.

Thirumoorthy, N., Senthilkumaran, R., Panayappan, L., Thandapani, B., & Ranganathan, K. (2022). Glutathione as oxidative stress marker in cancer. In Handbook of oxidative stress in cancer: Mechanistic aspects (pp. 353–372). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4501-6_29-1

Ugochukwu, A., Zhiri, J. E., & Boniface, O. O. (2018). Effect of singeing methods on carcass qualities and sensory properties of Red Sokoto buck muscle. Biotechnology in Animal Husbandry, 34(4), 443–453. https://doi.org/10.2298/BAH1804443U

Vicente, E. D., Vicente, A. M., Evtyugina, M., Oduber, F. I., Amato, F., Querol, X., & Alves, C. (2020). Impact of wood combustion on indoor air quality. Science of The Total Environment, 705, 135769. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135769

Vignesh, A., Amal, T. C., & Vasanth, K. (2024). Food contaminants: Impact of food processing, challenges and mitigation strategies for food security. Food Research International, 148, 114739. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2024.114739

Wan Mahari, W. A., Tsang, Y. F., Hsu, C. J., Fazhan, H., Wang, Y., Tan, K., ... & Lam, S. S. (2025). Protecting mud crabs from pollution by microplastics, per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides, and heavy metals in mangroves. Environmental Chemistry Letters, 23(2), 677–706. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-024-01802-7

Wang, M., Guckland, A., Murfitt, R., Ebeling, M., Sprenger, D., Foudoulakis, M., & Koutsaftis, A. (2019). Relationship between magnitude of body weight effects and exposure duration in mammalian toxicology studies and implications for ecotoxicological risk assessment. Environmental Sciences Europe, 31, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-019-0221-1

Woko, E. C., Ibegbulem, C. O., & Alisi, C. S. (2020). Consumption of cattle hide singed with scrap tyre is detrimental to the liver, heart and kidney of rats. bioRxiv. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.03.18.996397

Zhang, X., Hou, L., Guo, Z., Wang, G., Xu, J., Zheng, Z., ... & Guo, F. (2023). Lipid peroxidation in osteoarthritis: Focusing on 4-hydroxynonenal, malondialdehyde, and ferroptosis. Cell Death Discovery, 9(1), 320. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41420-023-01613-9

More

Hepatorenal and Cerebral Toxicity Induced by Consumption of Cow Meat Singed with Scrap Tyres: An Experimental Study in a Rat Model

Keywords

How to Cite

Similar Articles

Downloads 39

Views 126

Country (Top 10)

Make a Submission

JournalIssue

Keywords

Browse by Category

Information

Highly Accessed

Published by

Useful Links

Connect

Contact Us