- At no time did NAFDAC advise Nigerians to avoid bread produced in the country
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has distanced itself from comments suggesting Nigerians should avoid consuming locally made bread.
The clarification came after a viral video circulated, where a reporter implied that bread sold in Nigerian markets was unsafe due to the use of additives like saccharine. The reporter’s claim followed a statement by NAFDAC’s South-West Coordinator, Roseline Ajayi, who had highlighted concerns about bread failing laboratory tests due to the use of such additives, attributed to the rising cost of sugar.
In a statement released on Tuesday, NAFDAC Director-General Mojisola Adeyeye emphasised that the video misrepresented the agency’s position. “At no time did NAFDAC advise Nigerians to avoid bread produced in the country,” she said, stressing that the views expressed in the video were those of the reporter and not of the agency.
NAFDAC reiterated its commitment to public health, assuring Nigerians that it would not issue statements likely to incite panic. The agency also warned bakers against using unapproved additives, noting that saccharine is prohibited under both the Nigerian Industrial Standard and international regulations. Any baker found violating these standards would face appropriate sanctions, NAFDAC confirmed.
Discussion about this post