The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has clarified that it didn’t tell Nigerians to avoid eating bread produced and sold within the country.
The clarification comes after what NAFDAC described as a misunderstanding related to comments made by Roseline Ajayi, NAFDAC’s South-West Coordinator.
Ajayi stated that the bread available in the market is failing laboratory tests due to the use of additives like saccharin, as producers are substituting high-cost sugar with cheaper alternatives.
A reporter’s interpretation of Ajayi’s comments, which went viral, implied that Nigerians were being advised to avoid bread altogether.
In a statement issued recently, NAFDAC Director-General Mojisola Adeyeye stressed that the video’s content represents the reporter’s personal views, not NAFDAC’s official stance.
“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.
“The Agency is a responsible regulator and does not make general statements capable of causing panic and fear in the population,” she said.
“Any baker found to be using unapproved food additives, in this case, saccharine, is appropriately sanctioned in line with the extant regulatory provisions.
“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.
