NAFDAC: What is wrong with our bread?

As one of the spin-off effects of the current high costs of several consumables, including the all-important food items, some unscrupulous manufacturers have resorted to the use of substandard materials to produce what is sold to millions of consumers across the country.

Recently, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) raised the alarm through the South West Coordinator, Roseline Ajayi that samples of bread have failed the agency’s laboratory tests. She noted for instance, that it has been discovered that some bakers now resort to the use of saccharine instead of sugar because of the prevailing high cost of the latter. She made this known during a recent stakeholders’ meeting held at Ibadan, Oyo State.

Notwithstanding the high costs of goods and services, Ajayi insists that NAFDAC will not fold its arms and watch the standards of processing of sundry food and drugs compromised. No! Indeed, stern warning has been given to the producers of packaged water, and all manner of consumables not to shortchange the legally approved processes of products that should make them safe, secured and wholesome for human consumption.

Worthy of note is that Act CAP No 1.LFN ,2004 mandates the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control NAFDAC to regulate and control the manufacture, importation, exportation, distribution, advertisement, sale and use of food, drugs, cosmetics,chemicals, detergents, medical devices and packaged water (referred to as regulated products). What it therefore, means is that it falls within the statutory functions of the agency; to see to it that bread, which happens to be one of the staple food items is processed, packaged and marketed to ensure that the consumers are not shortchanged by it.

Ordinarily, ingredients that are required to bake bread include flour, salt, sugar, yeast, fat and water, combined in specific quantities to make the dough.If done in its approved form the nutritional value of bread is appreciable. For instance, according to nutritionists bread provides more than 10% of dietary energy and a similar proportion of protein. It also boasts of 20% of dietary fibre.

In addition, bread provides minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium,iron, magnesium and sodium. Not left out are vital vitamins such as thiamine (Vitamin B1), riboflavin (Vitamin B2), B6 in addition to pantothenic acid, inositol, P-aminobenzoic acid and folic acid. Most of these nutrients are available in the wheat flour.

Unfortunately, what has been revealed by NAFDAC is the fact that some bakers are using unapproved chemicals and ingredients to make the bread, thereby jeopardizing the health of the consumers. This is unacceptable! For instance, in February, 2017 the Largest Supermarket in Karu area of the FCT was closed down by officials of the agency after discovering that loaves of fake bread were being sold there.

And in March 2017 NAFDAC, in collaboration with the police smashed a syndicate that specialized in producing unwholesome bread with pirated materials. Though the prime suspect was on the run, four of his cohorts were apprehended at Ekpemiong Irak community in Ikono LGA. The factory was eventually sealed off as officials carted away hundreds of loaves of fake bread packaged with fake wrappers! Can you beat that high level of insensitivity?

Furthermore, on May 11, 2019 ten people were arrested for selling unregistered loaves of bread in Rumuokoro area of Port Harcourt. And on December 12, 2022 NAFDAC officials got into a warehouse in Apongbon area of Lagos Island where they seized 115 cartons of potassium bromate, worth N28.75 million which the agency had warned about it being poisonous to human health in the baking of bread. In that same warehouse there were counterfeit EDC bread improvers, worth N300,000 found packed in sachets.

What is of ultimate significance in all of these is how we, the millions of consumers can help NAFDAC to help us. We must therefore, be vigilant to refuse to get involved in the production, importation, exportation, distribution and selling of fake ingredients used in the manufacturing of bread. Reports should be made to the police when discovered.Doing so will save more lives from the hazards of the consumption of poisonous chemicals, instead of being driven solely by the lust after the acquisition of come-quick money at the expense of the protection of priceless human life.