The Federal Government has raised concerns over the use of harmful chemicals in food processing and preservation, warning Nigerians against practices such as using calcium carbide to ripen fruits, paracetamol to soften meat and detergents in cassava production.
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Kingsley Udeh, raised the alarm on Tuesday in Abuja during the 2026 World Science Day for Peace and Development.
Udeh also identified the use of unauthorised chemicals to preserve beans and grains, as well as prohibited colourants such as Sudan IV to adulterate palm oil, as dangerous practices posing serious risks to public health.
According to the minister, unsafe food handling and adulteration expose consumers to harmful substances, weaken public confidence in food products and threaten national food security.
“Food must sustain life, not endanger it,” he warned.
Citing figures from the World Health Organisation (WHO), Udeh disclosed that foodborne illnesses affect approximately 866 million people globally every year, resulting in about 1.52 million deaths.
He added that Nigeria records an estimated 50 million cases of foodborne illnesses and more than 53,000 related deaths annually.
To tackle the problem, the minister said the Federal Government planned to strengthen food safety monitoring through the deployment of qualified food science and technology professionals, particularly at the local government level.
He disclosed that Nigeria produces approximately 3,000 food science and technology graduates annually from 70 tertiary institutions but lacks an established professional structure to effectively utilise their expertise within the public service.
Udeh said the government would work towards establishing a professional cadre for practitioners, supported by personnel audits and skills-gap assessments.
He also urged food businesses and regulatory agencies to engage qualified food science and technology professionals, stressing the importance of ensuring that practitioners possess valid professional registration and annual practice licences.
