The poison in our plates

Food safety concerns are on the rise in Nigeria due to the increasing prevalence of chemical adulteration in fruits, vegetables, and other consumables. Recent investigations by Weekend Trust have uncovered widespread use of chemicals by farmers, traders, and food handlers to prevent spoilage, prolong shelf life, or improve product appearance.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has received over 200 monthly complaints about food adulteration, with August seeing 225 calls to their complaint channel.

Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo recently disclosed that a laboratory test found a sample of freshly squeezed orange juice consumed by his wife to be unfit for human consumption. Osinbajo warned that even products appearing fresh or natural may not be safe and alleged that some farmers and traders use pesticides and chemicals to ripen fruits, such as bananas, mangoes, pawpaw, and tomatoes.

These chemicals, including calcium carbide, Sniper, phosphite, DDT, and brodifacoum, are sometimes applied directly to food in ways not approved, posing potential health risks.

Consumers and experts are particularly concerned about the artificial ripening of fruits with calcium carbide, which can contain unsafe impurities. In Abuja's main fruit market, traders reported harvesting unripe fruits and using chemicals to hasten ripening, resulting in fruits that appear fresh but may decay rapidly. The investigation found that this practice is not associated with all types of fruits, particularly those with high water content.