The Oyo State Ministry of Health has seized chemically ripened fruits during a food safety enforcement exercise at a market in Oyo town.
Officials from the ministry’s Department of Food, Water and Laboratory Services carried out the operation on Friday following an anonymous tip-off. About 12 baskets of mangoes artificially ripened with chemicals and prepared for sale were confiscated.
Speaking during the exercise, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, warned residents to be cautious about the sources of the food they consume. She said the use of chemicals to preserve or enhance food items poses serious health risks and noted that the ministry had received increasing reports of sharp practices among some vendors, including the use of hazardous substances to hasten fruit ripening.
“The mandate of the Ministry of Health is to ensure the safety and well-being of the people of Oyo State. Based on credible information received, our officers moved immediately and intercepted these chemically ripened fruits before they reached consumers,” she said.
Ajetunmobi explained that some vendors soak unripe mangoes in chemicals to make them appear ripe within hours. She warned that although such fruits may not cause immediate harm, prolonged consumption could result in chemical accumulation in the body, potentially leading to cancer and other long-term health complications.
She advised residents on how to identify chemically treated items, noting that artificially ripened mangoes often show uneven coloring with green patches. Vegetables treated with chemicals may appear unnaturally green, while chemically preserved meat may not attract flies.
The commissioner said the seizure should serve as a deterrent to unsafe food practices and urged residents to avoid purchasing suspicious items. She also encouraged home gardening as a way to ensure access to safe and healthy food.
In her remarks, the Director of Food, Water and Laboratory Services, Dr Afusat Akande, confirmed that the seizure followed a report from a concerned member of the public. She added that the ministry continues to engage food sellers’ associations across the state on food safety standards.
According to her, vendors and market associations have been sensitized and encouraged to report unsafe practices, stressing that offenders would be sanctioned in line with regulations and associations held accountable where necessary. She also urged parents and guardians to guide children to be mindful of the food they purchase and consume, particularly within school environments.
