The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) has warned residents against consuming spoilt or fungus-infested tomatoes, popularly known as ‘Ata Esha’, saying it could pose serious health risks.
Afolabi Solebo, the agency’s General Manager, issued the warning in a statement signed by the Assistant Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Adesile Rufai, on Sunday in Lagos.
Solebo urged consumers to avoid purchasing or consuming tomatoes with visible white, green, or black fungal growth.
“Fungi found on spoiled tomatoes may produce harmful toxins, including aflatoxins, which can lead to severe health complications such as liver damage,” he said.
Speaking on the importance of healthy food consumption, Solebo said: “A healthy person is determined by what he or she consumes from time to time.”
He explained that cooking, boiling, or frying contaminated tomatoes does not eliminate the harmful toxins, making such food unsafe for consumption.
The LASCOPA boss cautioned consumers against buying spoilt tomatoes simply because they are sold at cheaper prices, stressing that health and safety should always take precedence over cost.
Solebo encouraged Lagos residents to carefully inspect food items before purchase and avoid visibly spoilt or mouldy tomatoes and other food products.
He advised consumers to properly dispose of contaminated food items and report the sale of unsafe, expired, or spoilt products to the relevant government agencies responsible for public health, environmental safety, and consumer protection.
“Consumers have fundamental rights as well as responsibilities, including being well-informed about products and services, speaking out against unfair practices, and making ethical and environmentally conscious choices.”
Solebo added that government monitoring and enforcement teams have been deployed to markets across the state to apprehend traders selling unsafe food products.
