The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has clarified that it did not advise Nigerians to avoid bread made and sold in the country.
This clarification follows a misunderstanding stemming from remarks by NAFDAC South-West Coordinator Roseline Ajayi, who indicated that some bread fails lab tests due to producers using additives like saccharine instead of costly sugar.
A reporter’s suggestion that NAFDAC recommended avoiding bread went viral, prompting a response from NAFDAC Director-General Mojisola Adeyeye.
She stated that the video’s content reflects the reporter’s personal opinion, not NAFDAC’s official stance.
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“At no time during that engagement with stakeholders did NAFDAC suggest that Nigerians should avoid bread baked and sold in Nigeria,” the statement reads.
“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,” she said.
She assured the public that the Agency remains fully committed to its responsibility of safeguarding public health.
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“The Agency is a responsible regulator and does not make general statements capable of causing panic and fear in the population,” she said.
NAFDAC warned bakers in the country to avoid using unapproved food additives.
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“Any baker found to be using unapproved food additives, in this case, saccharine, is appropriately sanctioned in line with the extant regulatory provisions,” the NAFDAC boss said.
“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,” she said.
