One of the traditions that have imposed themselves on the table of Algerians during Ramadan is the famous ” charbet ». Sold in large quantities each year, this popular drink is nevertheless very harmful to health. A more than questionable composition, storage and delivery conditions far from standards, specialists point the finger at the traditional Algerian charbet. And they are far from being the only ones, consumer protection associations such as theAPOCEwarn citizens against the consumption of this drink.
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Charbet to avoid this Ramadan, APOCE warns Algerians
The charbet is one of those foods that smells good in Ramadan. It is a drink widely appreciated by Algerians for its tangy taste and its colorful appearance. Widely accessible for its affordable price, it has invaded our homes in recent years and established itself as custom on our tables ramadanesques.
Unfortunately, this habit is far from the healthiest for several different reasons. First, for his dubious composition. Water, citric acid, sugar and food coloring, not a trace of fresh fruit or nutritious food. And to make matters worse, the water used is often of unknown origin, so it can be unsanitary. (stagnant water, exposed to microbial strains, etc.).
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Not to mention the preparation conditions which remain mysterious, without hygiene protocol or precise dosage. Rumor has it that some unscrupulous vendors brew the sugary brew in their bathtubs, or even underground garages.
A toxic cocktail, the dangers of charbet brought to light
Usually sold on the sly in informal stalls, the charbet is poorly preserved. The cold chain is not respected and the bottles (or plastic bags) are left exposed to the sun. You don’t have to be a chemist to realize the danger here; plastic containers react to heat and release toxic particles into the drink.
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And they are not the only ones to be sensitive to the sun, the food colorings present in the charbet also react to UV rays and change their composition. All this creates a most toxic Molotov cocktail for the body and possibly carcinogenic. And if that wasn’t enough to convince you, add to that the unknown provenance of the plastic bottles used for storage.
You will have understood it, the charbet traditional is far from showing white pawand could well disappear from our Ramadan tables in the near future.
