The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control in Adamawa State has warned fruit dealers against using harmful chemicals to ripen fruits.
NAFDAC also said that consumers should be wary of such fruits.
The agency’s Coordinator in Adamawa State, Gonzuk Bedima, on Thursday, issued the warning in the capital, Yola.
Bedima noted that some unscrupulous traders in the state were using calcium carbide, a chemical used for welding and which causes cancer, to ripen fruits such as bananas and oranges.
He warned that selling such fruits posed a serious health threats to Nigerians in the state and encouraged the public to report such fruit sellers to NAFDAC so as to prevent others from consuming them.
The Coordinator noted that consumers could identify fruits that had been chemically ripened if they (fruits) appeared very ripe on the outside but were not ripened inside.
He also disclosed that NAFDAC had previously worked with the leadership of the fruit sellers in the state and would double down now that the fasting period was approaching and the Muslim faithful in the state would need fruits to break their fast.
“If you suspect such fruits, avoid buying them, as they are dangerous to your health,” Bedima appealed.
