By Asmau Ahmad
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has assured consumers of the safety of all brands of Indomie Noodles produced in the country.
This was made known in a statement released by the agency resident media consultant of the agency, Mr Olusayo Akintola, in Abuja on Thursday.
Akintola disclosed that the assurance was given by the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, during the agency’s quarterly interactive session with Manufacturer Association of Nigeria (MAN) in Lagos.
The DG particularly assured on safety of the staple food consumed mostly among children and some adult, adding that they need not exercise fear while consuming.
She said that the agency had revealed that the Indomie noodles produced in Nigeria was not implicated in the recalls in Malaysia and Taiwan, and implored Nigerians to always eat safe.
Prof. Adeyeye disclosed that she loved to eat good food and take medicine, but she must be sure that such food and medicine she was going to take were certified.
She explained that immediately the news of the recalls of Indomie Noodles from Malaysia and Taiwan got to Nigeria, she directed some directors in the agency to begin tripartite discussions with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN).
Adeyeye said that samples of the noodles and seasonings (spices) were collected by the agency for laboratory analysis, adding that the agency had run all the necessary tests.
“We needed a chemical standard. It’s all science. We are a science organisation, and our processes are science driven.
“We cannot conduct our own Nigerian science. No. We have to use the international standard chemical agents.”
According to her, the agency is highly sensitive in terms of food safety, adding that it has to make sure that it does the right thing, regulatory wise.
Adeyeye disclosed that NAFDAC officials went round and took samples from the market, adding that there were suitcase importers that could have brought such products into the country without the known of the agency.
The NAFDAC boss emphasised that the agency did not ban importation of Indomie during the recent Taiwan and Malaysia episode where many people died after consuming Indomie Noodle.
She said that noodles generally had been banned by the Federal Government many years before she assumed office as DG NAFDAC, with the aim of protecting the local manufacturing sector.
Adeyeye emphasised that the implicated foreign noodles are not in Nigeria, hence, the locally produced noodles are safe for human consumption.
“We are improving on what will make our people healthier. Whatever we put into our food will affect us. Whether positively or otherwise’’.
The DG however, urged Nigerian manufacturers to strive to bring quality into their products, stressing that quality would create opportunity to trade globally as Nigeria market is the largest in Africa.
She disclosed that regulatory agencies of several countries had been coming to NAFDAC to make enquiries about bringing their goods to sell in Nigeria.
She, therefore, urged the MAN to take the advantage to generate foreign exchange for the nation’s economy.
Adeyeye particularly urged MAN to take the bull by the horn with the Food, Beverage, and Tobacco sector and Chemical and Pharmaceutical sector to take the lead, saying that “Nigeria can lead Africa in terms of trade with its effort.”
