The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, said a video on the use of saccharine in bread circulating on social media does not reflect its stand.
The agency, in a statement signed by Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the Director-General of NAFDAC, on Tuesday debunked the claim in the report that the agency raised concern about the use of saccharine in baking bread.
“NAFDAC wishes to provide clarification that the content of the video on avoiding bread in Nigeria does not reflect the observation of the agency made during a stakeholders engagement held on August 16 in Ibadan,” she said.
The NAFDAC DG further said that the agency had at no time raised concern that most breads failed laboratory tests because bakers were using saccharin to replace sugar due to the high cost.
According to the statement, the Nigerian Industrial Standard, NIS, does not permit the use of saccharine in bread.
The NAFDAC boss said the Codex General Standard Food Additives, an authoritative reference for food additives, also does not permit the use of saccharine in bread.
According to her, like other food additives, sweeteners usually undergo thorough risk assessments for safety by an expert body, namely the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, JECFA, before approval for use.
Adeyeye said: “NAFDAC is a responsible regulator and does not make general statements capable of causing panic and fear in the population.
“Any baker found to be using unapproved food additives, in this case, saccharine, is appropriately sanctioned in line with the extant regulatory provisions.
“NAFDAC dissociates herself from the comment of the reporter in the circulating video about avoiding bread in Nigeria.
“This is the personal statement of the reporter who does not speak for NAFDAC and we wish to reassure the public that the agency remains fully alive to her responsibilities of safeguarding the health of the public.”
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