Health
LAGOS WARNS RESIDENTS OVER ADULTERATED PALM OIL IN MARKETS
The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency has warned residents to be cautious when buying palm oil following concerns over increasingly sophisticated...
By Patience
The warning was issued as food safety experts called for stronger surveillance and scientific testing to detect adulterated palm oil and protect consumers.
EXPERTS RAISE CONCERNS OVER ADULTERATION
Dr Nurah Oseni, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Food Technology at Auchi Polytechnic, said palm oil is vulnerable to adulteration because of its high trading volume, differences in prices and informal market practices.
She identified concerns including the use of dyes to alter the colour of palm oil, the mixing of palm oil with recovered or recycled oils, and the use of multiple adulterants designed to evade basic checks.
She also raised concerns about falsified labels and batch records that could make it harder to trace products through the supply chain.
VISUAL CHECKS ARE NOT ENOUGH
Consumers have been advised to remain observant when purchasing palm oil, but experts cautioned that appearance alone cannot confirm whether a product has been adulterated.
Palm oil may naturally show differences in colour and separation, meaning a simple visual inspection cannot provide a conclusive result.
Experts instead recommended a combination of risk-based screening, laboratory testing and proper sampling procedures to establish whether a product has been adulterated.
LAGOS AGENCY STEPS UP MARKET SURVEILLANCE
The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency said it was intensifying market surveillance across the state to protect consumers from unsafe and substandard products.
The agency's General Manager and Chief Executive Officer, Afolabi Solebo, urged residents to report suspected adulterated palm oil and traders involved in unsafe practices through the agency's official channels.
The agency said stronger cooperation among consumers, traders, processors, laboratories and regulatory authorities would be important in tackling food adulteration.
CONSUMERS URGED TO REMAIN VIGILANT
Residents have been advised to exercise caution when buying palm oil and to report products they suspect may be unsafe or adulterated.
Authorities and food safety experts are also calling for improved detection methods and stronger traceability across the palm oil supply chain to help identify adulterated products before they reach consumers.