27th August, 2024
By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has denied claims that it advised Nigerians to stop eating bread over alleged use of saccharine, a banned sweetener for the production of the item by some bakers.
NAFDAC’s boss, Mojisola Adeyeye, made the denial in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja.
NAFDAC issued the statement in response to a claim a social media influencer in a video that has gone viral that the agency has asked Nigerians to stop eating locally baked bread because samples had failed laboratory tests due to the presence of saccharine.
The influencer had in the viral video claimed Nigerian bakers have turned to saccharine as a substitute for sugar, which has become prohibitively expensive due to inflation.
While agreeing that the use of saccharine is indeed banned in bread production in Nigeria, in line with global health guidelines due to its potential health risks to consumers, NAFDAC however denied claims by the influencer in the viral video.
The agency said as a vigilant regulator, it has been actively sanctioning bakers who violate this regulation while emphasizing that the social media influencer does not represent or speak on behalf of NAFDAC.
The NAFDAC boss, in the statement said: The attention of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has been drawn to a video circulating on social media titled: Bread sold in markets failing laboratory tests, NAFDAC raises fresh alarm.
“The reporter stated that NAFDAC had raised a concern that “most of the bread in the market are failing laboratory tests because producers are using saccharine to bake bread more than they are using sugar due to the high cost of sugar. The reporter went on to tell Nigerians to avoid bread in Nigeria.
“As a responsive regulatory Agency, NAFDAC wishes to provide clarification that the content of the video on avoiding bread in Nigeria does not reflect the observation of NAFDAC which was made during a stakeholders’ engagement held on 16th August 2024 in Ibadan, Oyo State.
“At no time during that engagement with stakeholders did NAFDAC suggest that Nigerians should avoid bread baked and sold in Nigeria.
“The Agency is a responsible regulator and does not make general statements capable of causing panic and fear in the population.
“Any baker found to be using unapproved food additives, in this case, saccharine, is appropriately sanctioned in line with the extant regulatory provisions.
“The Nigerian Industrial Standard (NIS) does not permit the use of saccharine in bread.
“This is the same for the Codex General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA), an authoritative reference point for food additives, which also does not permit the use of saccharine in bread.
“Like other food additives, sweeteners usually undergo thorough risk assessments for safety by an expert body, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) before approval for use.
“NAFDAC dissociates herself from the comment of the reporter in the circulating video about avoiding bread in Nigeria. This is the personal statement of the reporter who does not speak for the Agency.
“NAFDAC wishes to reassure the public that the Agency remains fully alive to her responsibilities of safeguarding the health of the public.”
