The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has advised Nigerians to be wary of adulterated palm oil, tainted meats, grains, and artificially ripened fruits.

Dr Adamu Ahmed Abdullahi, FCCPC’s Ag Executive Vice Chairman, issued the warning during a one-day sensitization event on forceful ripening of fruits, tainted palm oil, infected meat, and cereals held in Bauchi on Tuesday, 9 June 2024.

The Acting Executive Vice Chairman, represented by the Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics, Dr. Nkechi Mba, reaffirmed the FCCPC’s commitment to ensuring that customers obtain good value for money on all purchases.

He explained that the use of artificial colours in palm oil reduces food quality and causes substantial health hazards. He explained that contaminated foods and fruits are damaging to the body, adding that undesired substances contaminate the air, water, and other components, causing health risks.

“Adding artificial colors to palm oil or flavor reduces the quality of the dish. We will make more money by selling such food, but many will die as a result of what we sell them. People can have allergic reactions in their bodies, and other areas of the body may be affected.

“When food and fruits are contaminated, they are damaging to the body; when undesired chemicals contaminate the air, water, and other things, they endanger our health. Recently, cholera and typhoid have killed people, all of which are caused by contaminated food and fruits,” he claimed.

“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 diarrhea, and affect the entire body system, leading to dizziness or even convulsions, ”he warned.

This came as he assured that the commission would prohibit any items from endangering customers’ health, saying, “It is part of our mandate to ensure that consumers are protected against products that are harmful to their health conditions.”

According to him, “Consumer health is our priority, and the Act that established the FCCPC requires us to do so. Consuming unsafe, low-quality, and substandard products has major health consequences because these contaminated products are extremely dangerous to the human body.”

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

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