Can eating ponmo (hide and skin) kill you? Let's find out.

According to Wikipedia, a hide or skin is the first putter layer of an animal skin visible to human eyes and processed for human use and even consumption. 

Some say it has no nutritional value, others have said it is protein-filled. Let's explore these interesting facts about hide and skin, popularly called "ponmo"  in Nigeria to demystify its actual value and use.

* The word "hide" is said to originate form the German word "Haut" which means skin.

* Hides refer to "skins" of large animals like cows and buffalos, while skins refer to those of smaller animals like goats, sheep, pigs, alligators, snakes and the likes.

* Early humans and Native Americans used animal materials gotten from their skin for warmth and as shelters for protection from elements. Some of the earliest boats used leather sails made from animal skins. 

* Hides for commercial purposes are leather and other skins for shoes, bags, cloths, belts or fashion and car accessories.

* Countries that produce the most hide and skins include China - 1.63 million metric tons in 2013 increasing from 1.33 million metric tons in 2003, USA - 1.12 million metric tons of hides (predominantly from cattle) in 2013 compared to 1.09 million metric tons in 2003, India - 1.04 million metric tons of hides (predominantly from water buffalo) in 2013 increasing from 0.94 million metric tons in 2003 (FAOStats, 2015).

* Many people use the two words interchangeably though, but there are actually some differences between cowhide and leather. Essentially, cowhide can be a form of leather if tanned correctly, but not all leather is made of cowhide.

* In Africa, it is mostly consumed than used for inedible productions. In Nigeria it is a common delicacy when spiced well.

* According to dieticians, 100g of boiled, thick cow skin contains about 224.65kcal of energy, 6.80g of carbohydrate, about 43.9g of water, 46.9g of protein, 1.09g of fat, and 0.02g of fibre. 

* For micronutrients, it contains small amounts of calcium (61mg), iron (4.3mg), magnesium (12mg), phosphorus (36mg) and Zinc (6.79mg). So it's not true that it has no nutritional benefits. 

* Ponmo (hide and skin) may have low nutritional value when compared to other protein sources because it doesn’t contain all essential amino acids, it however contains a lot of collagen which is the most abundant protein in our bodies. As we age and gradually lack the ability to produce the much needed collagen that reduces wrinkles showing up on the body, ponmo serves as a good supplement.

* Ponmo is a good weight loss substitute that is unique with fewer calories.

* Collagen found in hide and skin has also been widely advertised to revitalize the skin, build muscle, improve skin elasticity, improve hair, and reduce the pain caused by arthritis.

* Interestingly, it has been advised that ponmo should not be consumed, because some of the animals killed and used for ponmo actually have skin diseases and boiling them ordinarily may not kill the bacteria. Some of the animals killed had been ill and undergoing injections, leaving the buyers vulnerable to chemicals in the animal skin.

* During the production process of ponmo , the hides and skin are usually subjected to naked flames to enable the hides burn off the skin. During the burning process, a lot of different unhygienic substances such as trash, wood, charcoal, rubber tires and so on, are thrown into the furnace to sustain the blazing heat. As the furnace burns, the combusting wood, gas, or charcoal emits chemicals known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which finds its way into the smoked food and contaminates it.

* Exposure to these contaminants is known to cause skin, liver, stomach and several other types of cancers in laboratory animals. 

* Based on epidemiological studies, intestinal tract cancer and frequent intake of smoked food are heavily related.

* Boiled or scrapped Cow skin to remove hair is said to be better than those singed by firewood, spent engine or spent tyres. 

* The singed Ponmo (that usually has the brown smoked look) is reported to contain more Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH), benzene and dioxins which are all culprits in cancer formation. 

* However, it is largely advised that the cowhides are properly cooked before consumption.

So will you rather consume ponmo or encourage it's use for production of wearable items, looking at the benefits and otherwise?

Well, the choice is yours *winks*