Concerned about safety issues in the vegetable oil sector, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, has warned distributors, marketers and sellers of the product in the country against the dangers of storing vegetable oil in containers, tanks and jerricans that have already been used for chemicals.
The agency also cautioned against the sale of unwholesome vegetable oil to Nigerians, saying that the health risks associated with the consumption of unsafe foods were life threatening.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Moji Adeyeye gave the warning in Lagos recently, during a stakeholders engagement with Marketers and Sellers of Edible Oil Association of Nigeria , aimed at addressing gaps and safety issues in the vegetable oil sector.
According to Adeyeye, who was represented by her Technical Assistant, Mrs. Simidele Onabajo, using soap and water to wash used chemical containers, tanks and jerricans for the sale and storage of vegetable oil is not acceptable, stressing that the rising cases of kidney problems in the country could be linked to the kind of foods people consume.
Urging the marketers to desist from practices that are injurious to health, Adeyeye said: ” We have called you for this meeting so that you know how to give quality and safe vegetable oil to consumers. You need to change your mindset and think about safety first. You must know the benefits of consuming safe and wholesome oil.
“Encourage others with what you have learnt from the meeting to desist from unethical practices and sale of unwholesome oil.”
Giving an overview of food safety issues in the vegetable oil sector in his presentation, Director, Food Safety and Applied Nutrition of NAFDAC, Mr Sheriff Olagunju, enjoined the marketers to sell only vegetable oil fortified with Vitamin A.
Olagunju told the stakeholders to always think about the health implication of what they do and ensure that safety is paramount in all their practices.
He revealed that there were a lot of safety concerns with the people who are selling the product in the market in the way and manner at which they handle the product,stressing that the agency would deal decisively with erring members.
“Vitamin A is needed in the body and so it is compulsory that vegetable oil sold in our markets must be fortified and NAFDAC approved.
It is important to know that Vitamin A
deficiency affects children and pregnant women, that is why vegetable oil is one of the vehicles the federal government is using through the Federal Ministry of Health to address the problem of micro nutrient deficiency in the country.
So you can see that your sector is very important and that is why we are urging you to think about safety and ensure you sell wholesome and safe oil,” he said.
He also warned the marketers to stop transporting their product with tankers belonging to the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers which he said, were meant for transporting petroleum products such as diesel and fuel.
“NUPENG tankers are now being used by your members for vegetable oil. We have arrested a lot of them. Desist from such act, because you are destroying lives and health of consumers. We consume food because we want to be alive, but if food becomes a source of sickness, it becomes an issues.
“This shows how important food is for NAFDAC to regulate it. So, I want you all to know that all these things that we eat, have long term effect on the body. Accumulation of harmful substances in the body causes cancer, kidney, liver and heart problem.
“Again, you must stop operating in a dirty and unhygienic environment. Your sector is very important that is why we have called this meeting to ensure that vegetable oil consumed in Nigeria is fortified and safe,” he noted.
