The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mojisola Adeyeye, has dismissed allegations suggesting that she advised Nigerians to steer clear of locally baked bread due to the presence of saccharin, a prohibited sweetener.
Adeyeye clarified that NAFDAC has not issued any statements indicating that Nigerian bread poses health risks to consumers. This clarification follows a viral video posted by a social media influencer, who claimed that NAFDAC warned against consuming locally baked bread after samples reportedly failed laboratory tests because of saccharin.
The influencer alleged that bakers in Nigeria are substituting sugar with saccharin due to rising sugar prices exacerbated by inflation.
In a statement released on August 27, Adeyeye confirmed that saccharin is banned in bread production in Nigeria in accordance with global health standards due to potential health risks. She reiterated that NAFDAC is a vigilant regulatory body actively sanctioning bakers who violate these regulations and emphasized that the social media influencer does not represent the agency.
Adeyeye stated, “NAFDAC has become aware of a video titled ‘Bread sold in markets failing laboratory tests, NAFDAC raises fresh alarm.’ In this video, the reporter claimed that NAFDAC had expressed concerns that many bread products in the market are failing tests due to the use of saccharin in place of sugar, leading to a warning for Nigerians to avoid bread.”
She further clarified that during a stakeholders’ engagement held on August 16, 2024, in Ibadan, Oyo State, NAFDAC did not advise against the consumption of locally baked bread. “As a responsible regulatory agency, NAFDAC does not issue broad statements that could incite panic among the public. Any baker found using unapproved additives, such as saccharin, will face appropriate sanctions under existing regulations.”
Adeyeye explained that both the Nigerian Industrial Standard (NIS) and the Codex General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA) prohibit the use of saccharin in bread production. She noted that all food additives, including sweeteners, undergo rigorous safety assessments by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) before being approved for use.
In conclusion, Adeyeye reassured the public that NAFDAC remains committed to its role in safeguarding public health and dissociated the agency from the claims made in the viral video.
