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By Emmanuel Adeleke
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has once again warned Nigerians against hazardous practice of using dangerous chemicals to preserve food items.
In a statement issued on Sunday, NAFDAC’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola,
said the agency has banned the chemical, emphasising the dangers associated with dichlorvos, a chemical commonly utilised by traders to safeguard food from spoilage.
The agency lamented the recent viral video showing individuals using dangerous chemicals to preserve food items like beans, stockfish, and crayfish.
“The sale of small volume dichlorvos (100 ml or less), sold as Sniper® has been banned since 2019 while the sale of the large volume (one litre) is limited to certified agrochemicals outlets.
“NAFDAC underscores the toxicity of dichlorvos to human health, cautioning that its use can have fatal consequences,” Akintola said.
He quoted NAFDAC Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, as saying traders and merchants should desist from using unauthorised chemicals on food meant for human consumption.
“The misuse of dichlorvos poses significant risks to human health, manifesting in both short-term and long-term consequences. Long-term exposure can result in severe health implications, including developmental abnormalities in offspring, memory loss, reduced fertility, and potential carcinogenic effects.
“These adverse effects highlighted the importance of adhering to safety guidelines to mitigate the risks associated with dichlorvos exposure,” she said.
Adeyeye further emphasised alternative methods for preserving food, noting that the use of bio-pesticides is a safer option than dichlorvos.
She noted that food remaining unspoiled for an extended period might indicate pesticide contamination rather than freshness unless stored in the refrigerator.
The NAFDAC DG also acknowledged the challenges faced by farmers due to bans on various chemicals, stressing importance of transitioning to safer alternatives.
Addressing misconceptions about banned chemicals being dumped in Nigeria, she clarified that comprehensive lists have been provided to the media to dispel such notions.
Similarly, the Director of Veterinary Medicine and Applied Products (VMAP), Dr Ramatu Momodu, reiterated that using certain chemicals, especially pesticides, to protect grains and prevent beans from having weevils is not approved.
She explained that there are approved pesticides for use as fumigants, which should be used according to the manufacturer’s specifications on the product label.
Momodu stressed that these products should not be applied directly to food due to their inherent dangers to human health.
She further stated that consuming food contaminated with dichlorvos can cause dizziness, vomiting, difficulty in breathing, tremors, convulsions, and in some cases, can lead to coma and death.
The director warned that once used, pesticide residues remain on or in the food, posing significant health risks.
“Washing the food does not mitigate the risk, as the harmful substance would have already soaked into it,” Momodu said.
She emphasised that the agency cannot recommend washing as a solution, as it gives a false sense of security.
Momodu urged grain merchants, market vendors and farmers to adhere strictly to manufacturers’ guidelines and refrain from directly applying dichlorvos to beans and other foodstuffs.
“It should be used as intended, either as a field crop treatment or a fumigant, to ensure food safety,” the director added.
Momodu also advised consumers to avoid buying from vendors known to use such practices and to report them to the nearest NAFDAC office for appropriate sanctions.