From JOE EFFIONG, UYO
The director general of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof Moji Adeyeye, has warned members of the public to stop patronizing dangerous non-retailed items from the market to prevent the risk of taking contaminated, substandard, expired and adulterated food or food fraud which have grave health implications.
Prof. Adeyeye who stated this at the South-South Zone NAFDAC Media Sensitization Workshop on Dangers of Drug Hawking and Ripening of Fruits with Calcium Carbide, held in Uyo on Thursday, explained that bulk industrial food or food ingredients are issued import permits for end-users in the manufacturing industry and such bulk items include cereals – cornflakes, oat, milk, and beverages.
“NAFDAC has observed that bulk industrial food or ingredients that are not in the retail pack are being sold illegally in our markets. These bulk items are openly displayed and measured to unassuming buyers with little or no care from contamination.
“This market practice is currently being addressed by NAFDAC through monitoring of the utilization rate and capacity (installed) of end-users to block the gas/leakage of the non-retailed packaged product from being sold in our markets.”
She also said the menace of drug hawking poses serious challenge to Healthcare Delivery System in the country and this underscored NAFDAC’s resolute determination to totally eradicate the illicit trade.
“Many drug hawkers are knowingly or unknowingly merchants of death who expose essential and lifesaving medicines to the vagaries of inclement weather which degrade the active ingredients of the medicine and turn them to poisons thus endangering human lives.
“Most of the drugs sold by the illiterate and semi-literate Drug Hawkers are counterfeit, substandard or expired, and therefore do not meet the quality, safety and efficacy requirement of regulated medicines.
“Prescription drugs are also sold by the itinerant Drug Hawkers who also hold consultation, recommend and prescribe medicines to their gullible “patients”.
“Drug Hawkers are also the major Distributors and Suppliers of narcotic medicines to criminal networks such as Armed Bandits, Insurgents, Kidnappers and Armed Robbers. Drug Hawkers constitute serious threat to our national security.” She said
On the ripening of fruits using calcium carbide, the DG of NAFDAC said the consumption of fruits such as mango, banana, plantain, guava, orange, grape, etc or any other fruits ripened with calcium carbide is dangerous to health.
“Fruits artificially ripened with calcium carbide may be ripe on the skin, the inside remains unripe. You can identify such artificially ripened fruits if you notice that the fruits are all yellow whereas the stem is dark, this is true especially with banana and plantain. In addition, naturally ripened fruits usually have brown or black spots, while those artificially ripened have traces of powdery substances and peel off quickly.”
She listed the effects of artificial ripening on fruit quality to include considerable loss of properties, taste and feel, explaining that such fruit are dangerous to human when consumed.
Other topic presented at the seminar were “Dangers of Artificial Ripening Fruits with Calcium Carbides; Food Safety Concerns Unethical Practices; The Menace of Drug Hawking in Nigeria; and, Influence of Mass Media Campaign on Health Behavioral Change” by various directors of the Agency . ENDS
