The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised the alarm on the unscrupulous activities of some business men and traders who re-validate caked, expired rice and also repackage local rice as foreign rice.
According to a statement issued by the Agency, the Ogun State office of NAFDAC received a report from the Department of State Services (DSS) in the state of ongoing food fraud at Oke-Aje market in Ijebu-Ode.
On November 14, 2019, officers of the state’s office, in company of men of the Nigeria Police Force, proceeded to the scene of the illegal activity.
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On arrival the suspected perpetrators of the food fraud instigated unnamed persons to unleash mayhem on the team of investigators.
However, Enforcement Officers of the Agency and its Federal Task Force team stormed the market in company of DSS officials. They reportedly sighted miscreants at the market who took to their heels.
Bags of expired rice, caked rice, bags of local rice, bags of popular foreign rice and sealing machines were reportedly found in the shops the NAFDAC Enforcement team finally gained access into. Three shops were sealed during the operation.
The agency warns that expired and caked rice are unwholesome as they contain moulds and microorganism that cause diseases which are of immense public health concern.
NAFDAC urges the public to be vigilant and exercise discretion when purchasing rice and other food items this Christmas season.