The use of harmful chemicals to preserve food is a risky practice that Nigerians should be cautioned against by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC.
The organisation underlined the risks related to dichlorvos, a substance that dealers frequently use to prevent food from going bad.
Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the agency’s director general, clarified in a statement that the sale of large volume dichlorvos (one litre) is restricted to approved agrochemicals outlets, while the sale of small volume dichlorvos (100 ml or less), sold as Sniper®, has been prohibited since 2019.
She emphasised the dangers of dichlorvos usage for human health and warned against its use.
Adeyeye asked traders and merchants to refrain from using unauthorised chemicals on food intended for human use in response to a viral video that showed people preserving food items like beans, stockfish, and crayfish.
“Dichlorvos misuse poses significant risks to human health, manifesting in both short- and long-term consequences,” the speaker stated. Prolonged exposure might have detrimental effects on one’s health, such as lowered fertility, memory loss, developmental problems in offspring, and possibly even cancer.
According to her, “These negative effects emphasise how crucial it is to follow safety precautions in order to reduce the risks associated with dichlorvos exposure.”
Adeyeye highlighted non-conventional means of food preservation, citing the application of bio-pesticides as a more secure substitute for dichlorvos.
If food isn’t refrigerated, it may signal pesticide contamination instead than freshness, according to her observation that food that hasn’t gone bad for a long time.