The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued a serious warning about the safety of bread being sold in markets across Nigeria.
The agency revealed that many bread producers have been using saccharine instead of sugar. This has led to failed laboratory tests and raising concerns about public health.
Mrs. Roseline Ajayi, NAFDAC’s Southwest Coordinator, highlighted this issue during a stakeholders engagement meeting held in Ibadan on Friday. Ajayi explained that the rising cost of sugar has pushed some producers to substitute saccharine, a cheaper but less healthy alternative. “Recently, we observed that bread sold in the markets is failing laboratory tests because producers are using saccharine due to the high cost of sugar. They are introducing ingredients that are not good for the health of the consumers,” she said.
The findings of NAFDAC have sparked alarm, as saccharine, although legal, is considered less safe than sugar, especially when consumed in large quantities. The agency has vowed not to compromise its standards despite the economic challenges faced by businesses. “We are not unmindful of the prevailing economic challenges, but the agency will not compromise its standards. It is pertinent to note that the quality and safety of regulated products cannot be compromised,” Ajayi emphasized.
During the meeting, Ajayi also addressed other concerns regarding the sale of substandard and fake products by water producers, patent medicine dealers, and other manufacturers. She noted that recent operations revealed that some patent medicine dealers were selling restricted drugs and unregistered products. Additionally, certain manufacturers were found to be neglecting proper packaging and storage standards.
The stakeholders meeting was convened to strengthen collaboration between NAFDAC and relevant industry players to ensure the safety of products available to consumers. “The engagement meeting was to solicit more collaboration and support from the relevant stakeholders for the agency to fulfill its mandate of safeguarding the health of the citizens,” Ajayi said.
Ajayi called on all stakeholders to adhere strictly to the good practices required in their respective sectors. “All stakeholders must embrace the culture and requirements for good practices related to each sector to guarantee quality, safety, and wholesomeness of regulated products available to the citizens,” she urged.
Supporting NAFDAC’s position, Mr. Moses Adewole, the Oyo State Director of Pharmaceutical Services, cautioned medicine sellers to operate within the boundaries of their expertise. He warned against selling expired drugs, equating it to poisoning the public. “Selling expired drugs is equivalent to giving out poison to the citizens,” Adewole stated firmly.
Adding to the discussion, Mr. Oladimeji Shittu, the Oyo State Secretary of the Nigerian Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers (NAPMED), urged NAFDAC to make stakeholder engagement meetings a regular event. He believes this would help keep industry participants updated on regulatory developments. Shittu emphasized, “NAFDAC should make the stakeholder’s engagement a routine programme for a prompt update of development.”
The meeting was well-attended by a wide range of stakeholders, including master bakers, chemical dealers, agro-input dealers, importers, supermarket operators, manufacturers, and distributors of regulated products. The consensus was clear: the safety and quality of products in Nigeria must be upheld to protect the health of all citizens.