Smokie (food) facts for kids
A smokie is a special type of food from West Africa. It's made from an old sheep or goat. To make it, the animal's wool or hair is burned off its skin using a tool like a blowtorch. The skin is left on the animal during this process.
Why are smokies illegal in some places?
The sale of African smokies is against the law in many Western countries. This is because of worries about certain serious diseases. These diseases, like scrapie (which affects sheep) and BSE (also known as "mad cow disease"), are very dangerous. They are caused by tiny things called prions. These prions can spread if people eat nerve or brain tissue from infected animals like sheep, cows, or goats.
Also, preparing meat with the skin still on and without proper cleaning can lead to harmful bacteria getting into the food. Bacteria like E. coli or Salmonella can make people very sick. This risk is even higher because smokies are often made in hidden places that are not clean. The animals used are usually old or sick and were not meant to be eaten.
Because the skin and wool are left on and burned, the animal's spinal cord is not removed. This means people might accidentally eat parts of the nervous system. This could expose them to the prions that cause scrapie or BSE. That's why laws in places like the UK strictly forbid selling meat from animals if their nervous system and skin are still attached.
News reports about smokies
On March 29, 2005, and again on April 6, the BBC television show Watchdog talked about smokies being sold in London. This was two years after a health group had warned about them being made in Wales.
Later, on September 17, 2012, BBC London TV news showed a special report. A reporter secretly filmed smokies being sold illegally in a market in London. Many people were surprised and upset that this illegal trade was still happening.
Should smokies be made legal?
Because smokies were being made illegally in the UK, the UK Food Safety Agency looked into ways to make them safely. However, the European Food Standards Agency said there wasn't enough proof that these burnt, skin-on sheep carcasses were safe for people to eat.
The Farmers' Union of Wales has asked for smokies to be made legal in the United Kingdom. They say there is no medical proof that the meat is harmful.
