A recent study published in the ScienceDirect journal finds that most of the hash sold on the streets of Madrid, Spain is not fit for human consumption due to a high rate of bacterial contamination.
The goal of the study was to analyze the adulteration and contamination of hash sold in the region to determine whether it was safe to consume.
Researchers obtained 90 different samples from street vendors in the Region of Madrid and found that 88 percent were contaminated with E. coli.
“The majority of hash sold in the Madrid region is not apt for human consumption,” write the study authors. “Mainly due to microbiological criteria, and it represents a danger for health.”
One co-author of the study, Manuel Perez Moreno told the Spanish newspaper, El Pais, that the contamination is likely a result of the way smugglers bring the hash into the country.
Traffickers in Morocco wrap balls of hash in clear plastic (acorns) and ingest them before making their journey to Spain where they take laxatives to expel them. The acorns are then sold on the streets.
The acorns had a higher contamination rate than ingots and, according to Perez, 40 percent of them smelled like feces as well.
“Foreign elements were found in 64.7% of the ingot-shaped samples and in 30.2% of the acorn-shaped samples,” researchers said. “With regard to microbiological contamination, 93% of acorns were contaminated by E. coli, compared to 29.4% of ingots. In addition, all samples with fecal odor were acorns and were contaminated by E. coli.”
Ten percent of the samples also contained Aspergillus, a type of mold that is responsible for a wide range of respiratory, gastrointestinal, and other conditions.
Authors of the study conclude that the high level of contamination they found in Madrid’s street hash constitutes a public health issue.
