By Desire Emmanuel
An unhealthy cereal known as Bledine Infant Cereals, which was banned in Chad due to its unwholesome nature and which has cancer-causing agent, has found its way into Nigeria and it’s currently in circulation.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) announced the worrisome development in a statement on Wednesday, November 19, saying the infant cereal was manufactured by Danone Group, a French multinational food and beverage company.
It was gathered that the Chadian government has prohibited the use, distribution and sale of the cereal in the country, but sadly, the product has found its way into Nigeria.
Reports said the ban of the product was imposed by the Chadian government due to non-compliance with European standards for Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) content, a known agent that causes cancer.
Sadly however, while the product has been banned in Chad, further assessments by NAFDAC indicated that the affected Bledine product is currently circulating in Nigeria, particularly in border communities with Chad, raising significant public health concerns.
NAFDAC wrote: “The use of the banned product presents significant health risks, exposing infants and young children to the potent carcinogen Aflatoxin B1. Aflatoxin B1 is recognised as an immunotoxin agent that leads to various immune system disorders.
“Healthcare providers and consumers are encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of the implicated product to the nearest NAFDAC office.”
