The head of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, has said that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food are not harmful to human health, as long as proper safety steps are followed.
In an interview on Channels TV, she explained that GMOs in food are not dangerous if the right types of food are chosen and the necessary safety checks are done.
She stressed that the kind of food and how it is handled are very important in making sure it is safe to eat.
Adeyeye said the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) is mainly in charge of checking the safety of GMO foods in Nigeria. NAFDAC works closely with them.
“We have an agreement with them,” she said. “They make sure GMO foods are safe and of good quality.”
Adeyeye, who supports clear food labeling, described herself as someone who cares a lot about what she eats. She said, “I like to know that the food I eat will be good for my health. I always check the label and make sure it has NAFDAC’s approval.”
She said she had this habit of checking labels even before she started working at NAFDAC, especially to see if food had GMOs.
She explained that GMO foods should clearly say “genetically modified” on the label.
Although people can choose between organic and non-organic food, Adeyeye said NAFDAC’s main job is to make sure all food sold in Nigeria is safe, high-quality, and properly checked.
“Our duty at NAFDAC is to make sure the food we approve for sale is safe, high in quality, and works as intended,” she said.
She added that NAFDAC only gives approval after NBMA confirms the product is safe. “We work together closely with the Biosafety agency. Without their safety checks, we cannot approve any GMO food,” she explained.
