By Desire Emmanuel
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Tuesday, March 31, alerted healthcare providers, caregivers and the public about reports of fake and unregistered Cerelac Mixed Fruits and Wheat products being sold in Lagos State.
NAFDAC disclosed this in a statement, adding that Nestle Nigeria Plc, the genuine marketing authorisation holder for Cerelac Mixed Fruits and Wheat, received a complaint on the sale and distribution of the counterfeit Cerelac purportedly manufactured by Nestlé Spain and bearing Batch Code 308002910.
According to Nestle Nigeria, the complainant reported that the counterfeit product emitted an odour suggestive of possible contact with fuel.
Also, preliminary review of the product by Nestle Nigeria indicated that the product has expired despite the can displaying an expiry date of 10-2026, which suggests that the date coding has been tampered with.
On investigation, the Post Marketing Surveillance (PMS) Directorate Officers of NAFDAC in Lagos State conducted a surveillance visit at Maxland Shopping Centre, Ago Palace Way, Okota, Lagos, where the product was purchased by the complainant.
The counterfeit and unregistered Cerelac Mixed Fruits and Wheat were found on sale at the premises and subsequently mopped up by the PMS officers.
The Marketing Authorisation Holder assisted in clearly identifying the distinguishing features between registered and unregistered Cerelac products and the key distinguishing feature is the date marking format, as the unregistered product uses a hyphen to separate the day from the year while the registered product uses a slash to separate the day from the year.
“It is important to note that Nestle Nigeria is not aware of the channels through which the products are supplied into the country.
“Distributors, retailers, healthcare professionals and caregivers are hereby advised to exercise caution and vigilance within the supply chain to avoid the distribution, sale and use of the product,” NAFDAC said in the statement.
