…. Agency Condemns Practice , Says Chemical Causes Cancer
The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control NAFDAC, Prof,Mojisola Adeyeye has condemned the use of Formalin, a toxic chemical used for embalming dead bodies to preserve frozen chicken and meat in some Nigerian markets
Speaking at a sensitisation campaign in Onitsha, Anambra State, Adeyeye warned that formalin has the potential to cause cancer and very dangerous.
Adeyeye who was represented by the Director of Narcotics and Controlled Substances,Dr Musa Umar, described the practice as new and dangerous.
” This is a new dangerous practice that has come to the attention of NAFDAC and we are alerting members of the public.
” They use Formalin in protecting shelf live of frozen chicken and meat so that they don’t get rotten, particularly the frozen chicken that are smuggled through illegal route or border into the country”
The NAFDAC DG explained that following the ban on frozen chicken and meat,some Nigerians go through illegal routes to smuggle the items into the country adding that in so doing,a journey that should take them a day ends in more days thereby making the smugglers to resort to use of formalin to preserve their stock from getting rotten.
She therefore called on the public including traditional rulers and other influential leaders in communities to join the agency in the campaign of sensitizing the people adding that ” NAFDAC is making effort to ensure that people drop sharp practices because it is injurious to health”
