The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC has disclosed that bread sold in the markets is failing laboratory tests as producers use saccharine instead of sugar.
NAFDAC Southwest Coordinator, Roseline Ajayi gave the warning during a stakeholders engagement meeting organized by the agency, on Friday, in Ibadan.
Ajayi warned water producers, patent medicine dealers and other manufacturers of regulated products against selling fake and substandard products.
She stated that with what the agency gathered during its recent operation, some patent medicine dealers were selling restricted drugs and unregistered products.
She further said some manufacturers also failed to comply with the required packaging and storage standards.
She said: “Recently, we observed that bread sold in the markets is failing laboratory tests because producers are using saccharine due to the high cost of sugar.
“They are introducing ingredients that are not good for the health of the consumers.
“We are not unmindful of the prevailing economic challenges, but the agency will not compromise its standards.
“It is pertinent to note that the quality and safety of regulated products cannot be compromised,” she said.
Ajayi, however, said that the engagement meeting was to solicit more collaboration and support from the relevant stakeholders for the agency to fulfill its mandate of safeguarding the health of the citizens.
“Within the last year, several regulatory decisions have been made.
“Some have been gazette; these are meant to strengthen and sanitize the practices in the regulatory environment.
“All stakeholders must embrace the culture and requirements for good practices related to each sector to guarantee quality, safety and wholesomeness of regulated products available to the citizens.”
Also speaking, Oyo State Director of Pharmaceutical Services, Moses Adewole, warned the participants to avoid selling expired drugs, stressing that selling such was equivalent to giving out poison to the citizens.
