Factory workers in Myanmar inspect canned fish products on the production line.

CANNED food remains popular with consumers despite health professionals urging the public to limit using canned products when preparing food.

Retired general physician Dr Nay Oo says people should strive to eat fresh produce rather than processed food as much as possible.

He says that as a general rule, the less processed a food is, the more healthy it will be.

He also warned that there are health risks specific to eating canned food. “If the cans are not properly sealed, bacteria can enter them and possibly cause food poisoning,” Dr Nay Oo said.

Consumers should always check the expiry date on canned food. If cans have rust on them, the food inside could potentially be contaminated, he said. “So if someone buys canned food, they must check the metal for rust. If they must eat canned food, I would advise people to the products from well-known supermarkets,” he said.

He added that the buyers could also check for a certificate of health on the can.
“If the can displays a certificate of health from the government it is generally more safe,” he said.

Daw Ohn Kyi, a housewife in Panzundaung township, says she always avoids canned products when preparing food daily for the five members of her family.

“The canned, processed food contains many chemicals. I’m sure if we eat for a long term, there will be some neg-ative health effects,” she said.

She said she felt vindicated in her decision by a recent news article that she had read, which said their were two potential health problems associated with eating excessive amounts of processed food.

“Canned food contained very little fibre and too much sodium [the article said]. Sodium raises blood pressure and that causes too much work for heart. High blood pressure can cause a stroke or heart attack,” she said.

She said that fibre is needed to move food down through intestines and had heard it can also help to prevent some forms of cancer, so she ensures her family only eats fresh fruit and vegetables.

“If we eat canned food sometimes, we can get a kind of bowel irritation,” she added.

But despite these kinds of concerns, distributors and retailers say demand for canned and processed food has been slowly increasing in recent years. Wholesalers at Nyaung Pin Lay Market, in Lanmadaw township, say locally-produced canned food has become more popular over the past decade.

“But it is difficult to definitely say how much raises it. Certainly, after 2003 the demand has quietly increased,” a seller from Nyaung Pin Lay Market said.

A grocery shop owner in Pazundaung township said when she first opened her shop she didn’t stock canned products.

“But because of enquiries from buyers, I put these products in my shop. The canned food is one of the highest-selling products in my shop,” she said.

She added that the main reason was because processed food is usually quicker and easier to purchase and prepare than fresh food.

“It also has a good taste. Most of the buyers prefer imported canned food over locally-made,” she said.

Ma Khin Myo Myint, 38, said that for the past three years she has frequently used canned food when preparing her families’ lunch boxes.

“As I also have a job, I can’t afford to spend a long time preparing the lunch box for my husband and daughter. I use canned food because they don’t like food bought from the street vendor or restaurant,” she said.

Instead, she will often use canned products because they are easy to prepare and her family seems to enjoy the taste, she said. However, she admits that it’s not a good idea to used canned products all the time, particularly meat, because it can become a bit monotonous for the tastebuds.

“Although there are many kinds of canned meat like sardines, beef and chicken, the tastes are not very different,” she said.

Ko Aung Hein, 29, says he is addicted to canned sardines and is yet to experiences any side effects. However, he believes there could be health problems associated with eating excessive amounts of processed food.

“I have a little knowledge about the side effects of canned food. Since canned food is made to last for a long time, I’m sure it’s prepared with chemicals that can possibly affect the health,” he said.

He added that he believed there were extra ingredients and chemicals used in processing that were not listed on the can.

“No company would be prepared to express all the kinds of chemical they used, I think,” he said.

The taste of most canned food – “delicious and sweet” – gave away the presence of chemicals, he said, because it was much different from the products’ natural taste.