Abidjan Kaolin - MUSEUM OF EDIBLE EARTH

Côte d'Ivoire - CI003A Composition: Clay Colour: Yellow Shape: Raw Sweet and slightly sour, silky texture with no grits, smells of steam from the ground after a heavy rain. This sample was acquired online in November 2020 on through a seller offering edible clays and other African cultural products. The Abidjan Kaolin was sold for €5,90 per 100 grams. It is identified by the vendor as calaba from Côte d’Ivoire. Another vendor refers to this product as lopko. According to the website of the company Abidjan Kaolin, based in the UK, kaolin is formed by weathering or hydrothermal alteration of aluminosilicate minerals. Thus, rocks rich in feldspar commonly weather to kaolinite. In order to form ions like Na, K, Ca, Mg, and Fe must first be leached away by the weathering or alteration process. According to various scientific publications in Côte d’Ivoire as elsewhere, some pregnant women ingest clays for preventing nausea due to hyper-salivation, against ulcer pain, and also because of the aroma it gives off. Ingestion of clay is applied as a remedy against diarrhea, as well as against intestinal parasites since ingested particles protect the gastrointestinal epithelium. Clays are also used for antibacterial purposes. Apart from medicinal use, calaba is popularly consumed in West African countries for pleasure. Sources: ● ‘Unsmoked Abidjan kaolin 1000g (1Kg)’, Abidjan Kaolin (English), accessed on 07/07/2022 www.abidjankaolin.com ● ‘How Kaolin is formed?’, by Style Prestige, Abidjan Kaolin (English), accessed on 07/07/2022 www.abidjankaolin.com ● ‘Reactivity of Clays Consummated in Cote d’Ivoire in Digestive Conditions: Bioavailability of Mineral Elements’, by Vamoussa Coulibaly and others, Asian Journal of Applied Sciences, Volume 06, Issue 05, October 2018 (English) Screenshot from .com