Nigerian health authorities warns of adulterated foods across markets, says palm oil now mixed with dye

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission ,FCCPC, in collaboration with Health ministry, has stated that markets across the country is being saturated with adulterated and contaminated foods, warning that proper scrutiny should be made before purchasing red oil because they are being mixed with dye.

The FCCPC acting Executive Vice Chairman, Adamu Abdullahi, issued the warning in Abuja on Thursday, during a sensitisation gathering.

He said that some traders were engaging in various forms of adulteration without considering the health implications for consumers.

He said the acts establishing the FCCPC gave it powers to evacuate fake and adulterated products from the markets to prevent consumers from purchasing them.

“We will go to the markets to sensitise the traders and educate the public and sellers that adulterated, fake products are not allowed in the markets, and if they see any, they have somewhere to report.

“We are going to markets in the states, the grassroots, and farms to find out the sharp practices going on and to ensure we get a healthier society in line with President Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’.

“We have to ensure that the goods in the markets are according to the standard that they should be,” he said.

Femi Stephen of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare described adulteration as the addition of substandard substances that have the same properties as the food with which they are mixed.

Mr Stephen said palm oil was adulterated with dye, lard (animal fat from pork), and transformer oil (paraffin), warning that adulteration is linked to various health challenges.

Promise Ogbonna of the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control ,NAFDAC, said that forceful fruit ripening is detrimental to health. She said calcium carbide used for the forceful ripening of fruits was arsenic and phosphorus, which had been said to be carcinogenic.

Edozie Ugwu, the vice-president (North-Central) of the National Association of Nigerian Traders ,NANTS, commended the FCCPC for the sensitisation.

Mr Ugwu said that many Nigerians had lost their vital body organs to food adulteration. He said the market associations would collaborate with the FCCPC and other government agencies to ensure that the law penalised any trader found wanting in the practice.