The Federal Ministry of Health has said that Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC)‘s products Fanta, Sprite, and Coke manufactured in Nigeria, are safe for consumption.
Recall that a Lagos State High Court had ordered the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to direct NBC to issue a warning that their products – Fanta and Sprite – should not be taken with Vitamin C.
The court, in its ruling, also awarded N2m against NAFDAC for neglecting its duties. NBC said the court’s ruling has been appealed.
The ministry, in a statement by its Director of Media and Public Relations, Akinola Boade, said that the assurance came after the Minister, Professor Isaac Adewole called a meeting of the Department of Food and Drug Services, Federal Ministry of Health, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to address the issue.
Health authorities in the UK had declared the products unfit for consumption after Fijabi Holdings exported them to the UK. The authorities claimed that the products will become poisonous.
The ministry, in its statement, explained that both benzoic acid and ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) were ingredients approved by International Food Safety regulators and used in many food and beverage products around the world.
The statement added that benzoic acid prevents the growth of microorganisms which thrive more at higher climatic temperatures like in Nigeria.
Due to the different environmental conditions obtainable in the UK, the standard for benzoic acid was set at a lower limit of 150mg/kg, while in Nigeria it was set at 250mg/kg even below that of Codex (as at time of production of that batch; Codex limit was 600mgkg), the statement said.
Besides, the ministry added that food products being imported into a country must comply with the relevant standards of the destination country.
“The claimant did not obtain NAFDAC certification before export, otherwise, he would have been advised on the required standard of the destination country,” the statement said.
The ministry gave the following advice:
In view of the above, we would like to advise all Nigerians to take medicines with potable water. This would help to prevent unexpected drug-food interactions.
For the benefit of the health of all Nigerians, all bottling companies are encouraged to insert advisory warnings on all products as necessary.
