24th August, 2016
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Niger said it had sealed a bakery in Lapai Area Council of the state for using potassium bromide for baking bread.
Mr Anikoh Ibrahim, the State Coordinator of NAFDAC, disclosed this on Wednesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna.
He said the action was taken during an unscheduled visit to the bakery.
Ibrahim said that the agency would continue to sensitise master bakers in the state on the danger of using substances like that for edibles.
“We have started inspection and sensitization visits to bakeries in Niger State, particularly those in the rural areas.
“When consumers see such bread in the market, they will be attracted to buy it because it is swollen owing to the potassium bromide content.
“Bromide causes cancer. So, we tell producers not to include it in the process of making food or edibles. Such substances are not good for our body,” he said.
Ibrahim said that the closed bakery would be reopened for business after the payment of the stipulated fine by the agency as well as proper registration renewal.
He also said that the master bakers were assisting the agency to ensure that their members renewed their products with the agency.