FCCPC warns against forced fruit ripening, adulterated foods

By Chinedu Adonu

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has expressed interest implicit rising cases of nutrient adulteration successful Nigeria, informing against the dangers of forced effect ripening with calcium carbide, contaminated meat, adulterated thenar oil, and unsafe grains.

The informing was issued during a one-day sensitization run connected nutrient prime standards, safety, regulation, and just concern practices held connected Wednesday astatine Toscana Hotel, Independent Layout, Enugu.

Delivering the keynote address, FCCPC’s Executive Vice Chairman, Mr. Olatunji Bello—represented by the Director of Quality Assurance and Development, Dr. Nkechi Mba—said the Commission is profoundly acrophobic astir unsafe nutrient practices.

“Food is not simply a commodity; it is simply a cardinal quality right,” Bello said. “Unsafe nutrient not lone endangers lives but undermines spot successful markets, disrupts trade, and damages the estimation of businesses. Any relation who places nett implicit nationalist information volition look the afloat wrath of the law.”

He listed immoderate of the harmful practices successful the nutrient chain, including the usage of calcium carbide for ripening, toxic additives specified arsenic bromate and Sudan reddish colorant, and mediocre hygiene from farms to markets. According to him, these exposure consumers to superior wellness risks and weaken Nigeria’s cultivation competitiveness.

Bello noted that the FCCPC is moving with NAFDAC, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, and authorities authorities to enforce nutrient information laws done surveillance, education, sanctions, and prosecutions.

Earlier, FCCPC’s Director of Consumer and Business Education, Mr. Yahaya Garba Kudan, said the Commission was committed to empowering consumers with cognition to marque harmless nutrient choices.

“Our extremity is to equip you with the tools needed to place adulterated food, recognize the dangers of forced ripening, and cognize the avenues disposable for seeking redress,” Kudan said.

Enugu State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Patrick Ubru, described nutrient contamination arsenic a large menace to nationalist wellness and nationalist development.

“Health is wealth, and what you devour determines your productivity. Preventing nutrient contamination requires associated responsibility—not lone from authorities but from each farmer, vendor, and consumer,” Ubru said, stressing the request for due hygiene, harmless storage, and champion cultivation practices.

Also speaking, the Director General of NAFDAC, Professor Moji Shola Adeyeye—represented by the Director of Chemical Education and Research, Dr. Leonard Omokpariola—condemned the usage of calcium carbide for effect ripening, describing it arsenic a superior wellness hazard.

“The situation of falsely ripening effect is simply a precise superior 1 successful our country. Calcium carbide produces acetylene gas, which is poisonous and hazardous. It lone mimics earthy ripening agents, making effect look yellowish connected the extracurricular without due maturity. Anyone who eats specified effect risks terrible wellness complications,” she warned.

The run brought unneurotic regulators, manufacture players, user groups, civilian nine organizations, and marketplace unions, who pledged to collaborate successful promoting safer nutrient systems successful Nigeria.

The station FCCPC warns against forced effect ripening, adulterated foods appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.