NAFDAC Warns Against Consumption Of Chemical Ripen Fruits, Non-retail Packed Products

The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Mojisola Adeyeye has warned the public against purchase and consumption of some chemical ripen fruits and non-retail packed items from the market.

The agency said this was to guard the public against the risk of taking contaminated, substandard, expired and adulterated food/ drugs that could have health implications.

The Director General of the National Agencies for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Mojisola Adeyeye issued the warning at the flagging off a One-day North Central Zone NAFDAC Media Sensitisation Workshop on Dangers of Drug Hawking and Ripening of Fruits With Calcium Carbide for journalists held on Monday in Lafia.

The NAFDAC boss said the aim of the workshop was to sensitise the public on the dangerous practice of sale and consumption of fruits artificially ripened with calcium carbide as well as illegal hawking of drugs in the open market.

Represented by the Director Chemical Evaluation and Research, Dr. Leonard Omokpariola, Professor Adeyeye said that many drug hawkers are knowingly or unknowingly merchants of death who expose essential and Life Saving Medicines to the vagaries of inclement weather which degrade the active ingredients of the medicine and turn them to poisons thus endangering human lives.

She said that most of the drugs sold by the illiterates and semi-literate drug hawkers were counterfeit, substandard or expired, and therefore do not meet the quality, safety and efficacy requirement of regulated medicines, causing members of the public against consumption of such items.

She said that Prescription drugs are also sold by the itinerant drug hawkers who also hold consultation, recommend and prescribe medicines to their gullible “patients”.

She said that drug hawkers are major distributors and suppliers of narcotic medicines to criminal networks such as Armed Bandits, Insurgents, Kidnappers and Armed Robbers. saying drug hawkers constitute serious threat to national security.

The DG therefore warned that any drug hawker arrested by NAFDAC wpild be prosecuted and face a jail term, stating enforcement officers of the agency were currently carrying out synchronized nation-wide operation, warning that the any offenders caught would be prosecuted.

While soliciting for the co-operation and support of all other Law Enforcement Agencies, Nigerian Journalists and well-meaning Nigerians in riding the country of the harmful and shameful practice, she said NAFDAC will constantly engage the mass media as the agency strive to bring down to the grassroot level positive impacts of their regulatory activities.

“The public is advised not to buy dangerous non-retailed packed items from the market to prevent the risk of taking contaminated, substandard, expired and adulterated food or food fraud with grave health implications’

“It is my candid opinion that sensitization workshop of this nature is a train the trainers’ programme with the great expectation that participants will assume the role of champions in the vanguard of the campaign against drug hawking and the use of calcium carbide to ripen fruits’

“The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has noticed the dangerous practice of sale and consumption of fruits artificially ripened with calcium carbide as well as illegal hawking of drugs in the open market”

“Drugs are sensitive life-saving commodities which should not be sold on the streets/motor parks or open markets just like any other article of trade. I wish to warn that any Drug Hawker arrested by NAFDAC will be prosecuted, face a jail term, and our Enforcement Officers are currently carrying out synchronized nation-wide operation”

Continuing, he said “no offender will be spared from facing the full wrath of the Law. In this regard, we solicit the co-operation and support of all other Law Enforcement Agencies, Nigerian Journalists and well-meaning Nigerians in riding the country of this harmful and shameful practices”

“Effect of chemically ripening fruits quality include but not limited to:
Considerable loss of properties such as colour, taste and feel, and such practice does not give the natural aroma and flavour to the fruits”

“These fruits do not possess uniform colour and are less juicy than when ripened naturally and have comparatively shorter shelf life.

“Calcium Carbide when sprayed with water reacts chemically to produce acetylene, which acts like ethylene and ripens fruits by a similar process”

“Calcium carbide generally contains impurities such as arsenic, lead particles, phosphorus, etc., that pose several very serious health hazards.
Consumption of fruits containing these impurities may cause cancer, heart, kidney and liver failure”

They may also cause frequent thirst, irritation in mouth and nose, weakness, permanent skin damage, difficulty in swallowing, vomiting, skin ulcer and so forth. Higher exposure may cause undesired fluid build-up in lungs (pulmonary oedema)”

“Consuming artificially ripened fruits could result in sleeping disorders, mouth ulcers, skin rashes, kidney problems and possibly even cancer”

“Other symptoms of poisoning include diarrhoea (with or without blood), burning or tingling sensation in abdomen and chest difficulty in swallowing, irritation in eyes/skin, sore throat, cough, shortness in breathing, numbness etc”; the NAFDAC boss warned.

Earlier in a welcome address, the Nasarawa state director of the agency, Pharmacist Omoyeni Babatulunji appreciated the Association of Nigerian Health Journalists for partnering with NAFDAC, saying the media as a versatile communication Cantool has helped in the deliveries of information to aid behavioral change and development.