By Desire Emmanuel
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered two shops where the expiry dates of drinks are changed with chemicals in Jos, Plateau State,
The agency, during the raid of the shops, also seized expired alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages worth N30 million whose expiry dates had been changed and ready to be sold to consumers.
Director of the North Central Zone of NAFDAC, Mr Kenneth Azikiwe, said on Saturday, November 8, that the agency raided the shops after it received report from a consumer who purchased an expired but revalidated bottle of non-alcoholic drink and had health issues after consumption.
Azikiwe said that during investigation after the raid, the agency found that the persons involved changed the expiration date markings on the alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks with the use of what he described as “special chemical.”
“During the raid, we discovered that the suspects had a special chemical which they used in cleaning off the initial manufacturing and expiry dates of these drinks.
“They will thereafter put new date markings on the neck of the bottles so that consumers would think the products are still good for consumption,” he said.
He urged the public to ensure that they purchased products which had manufacturing and expiry date markings inscribed on the product‘s label and not just on the neck of the bottles.
He added that complaints about drugs, alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages should be reported speedily to the nearest NAFDAC office .
He also advised consumers of drinks and packaged foods to always look out for NAFDAC registration numbers on such products.
Similarly, Dr Obida Gwary, Deputy Director and State Coordinator of NAFDAC in Plateau, condemned the nefarious act of those involved.
