Suya, is a spicy shish kebab like skewered meat which is a popular food item in various parts of Nigeria and

is enjoyed as a delicacy in West Africa.[1] It is t raditionally prepared by the Hausa people of northern Cameroon, Nigeria and Nige r. Suya is generally made with skewered beef, ram, or chicken. Innards such as k idney, liver and tripe are also used.[2] The thinly sliced meat is marinated in various spices which include peanut cake, salt, vegetable oil and other flavorin gs, and then barbecued.[3] Suya is served with further helpings of dried pepper mixed with spices and sliced onions. Halal meat preparation methods are normally used, especially in the northern parts of Nigeria,[2] were the suspicion of non conformation to Muslim dietary prohibitions in Suya preparation has been known to cause riots.[4] A dried version of Suya is called Kilishi.[2] There is no standard recipe for the production of the complex mixture of spices and additives which make up the Suya marinade (called Yaji) and the spice mix se rved with it.[5] Ingredients may vary according to personal and regional prefere nces,[2] and may include clove, ginger, red pepper, black pepper, table salt, gr oundnut cake as well as food additives such as Monosodium glutamate and Maggi Cu be.[5] Although Suya originated in the Northern parts of Nigeria, it has permeated the Nigerian society, being affordable for all and available everywhere. It has been called a unifying factor in Nigeria.[6] Suya has become a Nigerian national dis h with different regions claiming the superiority of their recipe and methods of preparation, but similar grilled meat recipes are common in many West African c ountries.[2] Suya is a mass consumer fast food, called a street food[7] because preparation a nd sales are often done in small stalls along local streets, sometimes under dub ious hygienic conditions.[8] Concerns have been raised about the hygienic standa rds of processing and safety of roadside Suya.[9] Suya is normally sold wrapped in old newspaper which has been criticized for serving as a possible source of c ontamination.[10] Tapeworm (Taenia saginata) from infested beef has been found t o survive the temperatures used in preparing Suya and remain viable to infect hu mans.[11] Cases of Haemolytic anaemia have been described after ingestion of Suy a, possibly as a result of adulteration of food additives.[