Experts warn Lagos consumers against adulterated palm oil

Consumers have been warned against relying on water tests to determine whether palm oil sold in Lagos markets has been adulterated.

A food and cosmetics consultant, Nurah Oseni, gave the warning on Tuesday at the fourth Lagos State Food Safety Conference and Exhibition held at NECA House, Alausa, Ikeja.

Oseni, who spoke on “Palm Oil Adulteration: Emerging Risks, Detection Strategies and Regulatory Control”, said adulterated palm oil could not be conclusively identified through physical observation or a simple water test, stressing the need for scientific testing.

“You cannot physically know an adulterated oil. You also cannot use a water test to know adulterated oil,” she said.

She explained that although a water test might reveal some forms of degradation, it could not conclusively establish that palm oil had been adulterated.

Oseni called for stronger traceability in the palm oil market, including the registration of traders and products, increased market surveillance and sanctions against those dealing in unapproved products.

“Without traceability, we cannot curb adulteration,” she said, expressing concern over the prevalence of adulterated palm oil in the market.

The warning came as the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency called for stronger enforcement of food safety regulations, saying efforts to protect consumers would be ineffective if businesses and consumers failed to take responsibility across the food chain.

The General Manager/Chief Executive Officer of LASCOPA, Afolabi Solebo, said food safety was both a public health and economic issue for Lagos, where millions of residents depended daily on farmers, processors, transporters, retailers and other actors across the food chain.

Solebo said unsafe food could harm public health, erode consumer confidence, undermine legitimate businesses and increase pressure on the healthcare system.

He said the agency had strengthened its enforcement mechanisms, expanded consumer education and public enlightenment, and increased collaboration with government agencies and other stakeholders.

However, Solebo cautioned that enforcement alone could not guarantee food safety.

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“Rules on paper can only achieve their purpose when every player in the food chain takes responsibility from the farmer and processor to the transporter, retailer and, ultimately, the consumer,” he said.

The Global Director, Quality and Food Safety, Archer Daniels Midland, USA, Adeniyi Odugbemi, also called for tougher sanctions against those involved in food fraud, adulteration and counterfeiting.

Odugbemi said Nigeria had laws and regulations capable of addressing food fraud, but that the major challenge was effective implementation.

He also called for the modernisation and mechanisation of the agricultural and food-processing sectors to reduce post-harvest losses and improve food availability.

“The amount of money in your pocket should not determine how long you live,” Odugbemi said, urging consumers not to compromise their health because of financial constraints.

The Southwest Zonal Coordinator of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, Olubunmi Otti, said food safety could not be guaranteed by one institution alone.

Otti urged regulators, businesses, consumers, the media and civil society organisations to work together to ensure food safety.

She urged businesses to ensure responsible sourcing, regulatory compliance, traceability and safe practices, warning that deliberate violations and conduct capable of misleading consumers would attract regulatory sanctions.

Otti also advised consumers to check product labels, expiry dates and ingredients, patronise reputable vendors and report suspected violations to regulatory authorities.

The conference, themed “From Burden to Solutions – Safe Food Everywhere”, brought together regulators, food businesses, professionals, consumer groups, academics and civil society organisations to examine food safety across the food value chain.

The stakeholders called for stronger enforcement, improved traceability, responsible business practices and sustained consumer education to reduce food fraud and ensure access to safe food in Lagos.