The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued a public warning over the circulation of suspected counterfeit and unregistered Cerelac Mixed Fruits and Wheat products in Lagos State.
The alert, published on the agency’s official platform, follows a complaint by Nestlé Nigeria Plc regarding products falsely presented as being manufactured by Nestlé Spain.
Key Findings
Preliminary investigations revealed alarming irregularities. The affected products reportedly emitted an unusual odour, raising concerns about possible contamination. Despite displaying an expiry date of October 2026, the items were already expired indicating that the dates had likely been altered.
NAFDAC’s Post Marketing Surveillance team traced the products to a retail outlet in Okota, Lagos, where they were discovered and promptly removed from circulation.
How to Identify the Counterfeit
One major distinguishing feature lies in the date format:
- Fake products use a hyphen (-) between the day and year
- Genuine, registered products use a slash (/)
Health Risks and Advisory
NAFDAC cautions that counterfeit infant foods may lack essential nutrients and could contain harmful substances, posing severe risks such as developmental complications or even death in infants.
The agency has directed nationwide surveillance to eliminate the products and urged distributors, retailers, and caregivers to purchase only from authorised suppliers. Consumers and healthcare professionals are also encouraged to report suspicious products through official NAFDAC channels.
Wider Safety Concerns
This alert adds to a series of recent interventions by NAFDAC, including warnings on falsified infant formulas like Aptamil and Cow & Gate, and fake Dostinex 0.5mg tablets in circulation. The agency has also intensified enforcement efforts, seizing counterfeit medicines worth billions of naira and destroying unsafe pharmaceutical products to safeguard public health.
The development underscores the urgent need for vigilance in protecting consumers especially infants from the dangers of counterfeit food and drug products.
Credit: Nairametrics
Discover more from Ayobami Blog
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
