The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and health experts have warned against artificially ripening fruits and consuming adulterated canned foods in the South-East.
Reporters who spoke with agency officials in Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu on Monday said steps were being taken to address the problem.
NAFDAC’s Anambra Coordinator, Dr Louis Madubuatta, told reporters in Awka that the agency would sanction grocery sellers who artificially ripened fruits and vendors who sold adulterated canned foods.
“The ongoing public sensitisation against the use of chemicals to ripen fruits and the sale of adulterated canned food is part of our measures to safeguard public health.
“We have been doing this for years, but we will go after defaulters who fail to comply with established sales protocols after the sensitisation,” he said.
Madubuatta said consuming improperly ripened fruits and adulterated canned foods could pose serious health risks.
“We sensitise the public about the health hazards associated with artificial fruit ripening through text messages and the mass media,” he said.
He added that NAFDAC was collaborating with other government agencies to prevent calcium carbide and other unauthorised fruit-ripening chemicals from being readily available in markets.
A retired director of medical services at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Dr Emmanuel Umenweke, said growing concerns about kidney disease and food safety deserved serious attention.
He said kidney disease had multiple causes and should not be attributed solely to artificially ripened fruits or adulterated canned foods without adequate scientific evidence.
“Not all artificially ripened fruits are dangerous. Ethylene, for instance, is a recognised fruit-ripening agent when used appropriately under approved conditions.
“Calcium carbide is a major concern because industrial-grade carbide may contain contaminants such as arsenic and phosphorus compounds.
“Misuse of these chemicals to ripen fruits can expose consumers to health hazards, including acute poisoning, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and dizziness,” he said.
In Ebonyi, NAFDAC said it had strengthened surveillance against the use of unauthorised chemicals to ripen fruits and the sale of adulterated canned foods.
The agency’s coordinator in the state, Mr Emeka Orajiaka, said the increased surveillance was necessary to address concerns about food safety in markets, shops and other outlets.
Orajiaka said the agency was stepping up routine market inspections, product sampling, laboratory testing and enforcement to identify and prevent the sale of unsafe food products.
“We have been working with market unions, fruit sellers, food vendors, distributors and other relevant stakeholders to improve compliance with food safety regulations in the state.
“We have also sensitised them about the use of calcium carbide and unauthorised dyes, including Sudan III and certain azo dyes, to enhance the colour of palm oil,” he said.
Orajiaka urged consumers to check expiry dates, inspect packaging and buy food from reliable sources. He also advised them to report suspected cases of adulteration to the relevant authorities.
He said NAFDAC was collaborating with the Ebonyi State Government, environmental health officers and other agencies to strengthen food safety monitoring.
Nutritionist Mrs Nkechinyere Ekwe said fruits provided essential nutrients that supported the immune system but warned consumers against produce treated with unsafe chemicals.
A fruit seller at the International Market in Abakaliki, Mr Jude Nwokedi, confirmed that some traders used calcium carbide to ripen fruits.
He said fruits such as oranges, bananas and mangoes that turned yellow quickly might have been artificially ripened.
In Enugu, medical practitioner Dr Chikezie Obasi raised concerns about the health risks associated with improperly canned food.
Obasi warned that poor food-processing and preservation practices could expose consumers to dangerous toxins and life-threatening illnesses.
“There is a need for greater public awareness of food safety, particularly the importance of properly canning, storing and handling food products to prevent contamination.
“Improperly processed or preserved canned foods could create conditions for the growth of harmful microorganisms, including Clostridium botulinum, which produces a potent toxin that causes serious illness,” he said.
Obasi advised consumers to avoid cans that were swollen, leaking, badly dented or damaged, or had broken seals.
“Consumers should also check expiry dates and follow manufacturers’ storage and preparation instructions,” he said.
