NAFDAC shuts bakery in Sokoto over banned bromate

The National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has closed down a bakery in Sokoto for “using unfortified sugar and banned bromate”.

Fortification of sugar is the introduction of vitamins and minerals into sugar.

Garba Adamu, the state’s NAFDAC coordinator, told NAN on Friday that the bakery was detected during a special raid by agency officials.

He said the agency discovered that the bakery was also using saccharine.

“The items were seized for destruction and the bakery is shut down until it complies with regulations and directives,” he said.

Adamu said only fortified registered sugar containing vitamin ‘A’, with micro-nutrients and other vitamins, are allowed to be sold and consumed in Nigeria.

“This is a federal government policy enforced by NAFDAC and other government agencies to ensure that consumers get the maximum nutritional and other health benefits from the products,” he said.

“Six other bakeries were also sanctioned for poor hygiene as enforcement officers led by Mr Buhari Manzo scale up the routine inspection visits to bakeries across the state.

“Bakeries are monitored to ensure that they don’t use saccharine or other banned items as a substitute to fortified regulated ingredients.”

The coordinator cautioned producers against using adulterated, counterfeit, unregistered and expired items, reiterating that NAFDAC would ratchet up enforcement.

Adamu said the operation would be extended to LGAs.

He implored the public to be wary of unregistered products and to always report any suspicious practice to the agency.