FCCPC warns Nigerians against adulterated palm oil, artificial ripening of fruits

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has cautioned Nigerians to be vigilant against adulterated palm oil, contaminated meats, grains, and artificial ripened fruits.

The Ag Executive Vice Chairman of FCCPC, Dr Adamu Ahmed Abdullahi gave the warning at a one-day sensitisation programme on forceful ripening of fruits, adulterated palm oil, contaminated meat and grains held in Bauchi on Tuesday.

Represented by the Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics, Dr. Nkechi Mba, the Acting Executive Vice Chairman reiterated the FCCPC’s commitment to ensuring consumers receive value for their money on all purchased products.

He revealed that the use of artificial colours in palm oil lowers food quality and poses significant health risks.

He explained that contaminated food and fruits are harmful to the body, adding that unwanted substances contaminate the air, water, and other elements, posing hazards to health.

“When artificial colours are added to palm oil or flavour, it lowers the quality of that food. We will make more profit from selling such food but people will die from what we have sold to them. People can have allergic reactions in their bodies, other parts of the body can be damaged.”

“When food and fruits are contaminated, they are harmful to the body, unwanted substances contaminate the air, water and other things, they are hazardous to our body. Recently, cholera is killing people, typhoid too, all these are caused by contaminated food and fruits,” he stated

“When we don’t allow fruits to ripen naturally and use chemicals to artificially ripen them, it can damage the stomach and intestines, cause stomach aches and diarrhoea, and affect the entire body system, leading to dizziness or even convulsions, ”he added.

This is as he assured that the commission would prevent any products from being hazardous to consumers’ health, stating, “It is part of our mandate to ensure that consumers are protected against products that are injurious to their health conditions.”

According to him, “Consumer health is our concern, and the Act that established the FCCPC mandates us to do so. Consuming unsafe, poor-quality and substandard products has serious health implications, as these adulterated products are very hazardous to the human body.”

Earlier, in his welcome address, Yahaya Garba Kudan, the Director of the Consumer and Business Education Department emphasised that food safety is a fundamental consumer right essential to the collective health of the society.