NAFDAC Warns of Fake Cerelac Products in Market, Lists Health Risks for Infants
- NAFDAC has alerted the public to counterfeit Cerelac products in Lagos
- The agency identified packaging differences between genuine and fake items
- It has intensified surveillance and urged the public to report suspicious products
Oluwatobi Odeyinka is a business editor at Legit.ng, covering energy, the money market, technology, and macroeconomic trends in Nigeria.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has warned the public about the circulation of counterfeit and unregistered Cerelac Mixed Fruits and Wheat products in Lagos.
In a statement shared on the agency's website on Tuesday, the agency said the alert followed a complaint received by Nestle Nigeria Plc, the authorised marketer of the product in Nigeria.
Source: UGC
Complaint triggers investigation
According to NAFDAC, the complaint involved a suspected counterfeit product purportedly manufactured by Nestlé Spain, bearing Batch Code 308002910.
The complainant reportedly observed that the product emitted an unusual odour, suggesting possible contamination, including contact with fuel.
NAFDAC said preliminary checks by Nestlé Nigeria indicated that the product had already expired, despite displaying an expiry date of October 2026, pointing to possible tampering or revalidation of the date coding.
Surveillance confirms presence in Lagos store
Following the report, NAFDAC’s Post Marketing Surveillance Directorate conducted an inspection at a retail outlet in Lagos where the product was purchased.
The agency said suspected counterfeit and unregistered Cerelac products were found on sale and subsequently removed from circulation.
It added that Nestlé assisted investigators in identifying key differences between genuine and fake products.
How to identify fake Cerelac
According to the regulator, one distinguishing feature is the date format on the packaging.
It explained that the unregistered product uses a hyphen (-) to separate the day and year, while the genuine product uses a slash (/).
NAFDAC also noted that Nestlé Nigeria is not aware of the supply channels through which the counterfeit products entered the Nigerian market.
Health risks and public advisory
The agency warned that counterfeit infant formula may lack essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, potentially leading to stunted growth or developmental issues in infants.
It added that such products could also contain harmful contaminants, posing serious health risks, including death.
NAFDAC urged healthcare professionals, distributors, retailers, and caregivers to remain vigilant and report any suspected cases through its offices or designated communication channels.
Source: UGC
Ongoing enforcement and monitoring
The agency said it has directed all zonal directors and state coordinators to intensify surveillance and remove any counterfeit products found within their jurisdictions.
It reiterated its commitment to safeguarding public health by continuously monitoring regulated products nationwide.
"Healthcare professionals and consumers are advised to report any suspicion of the sale of substandard and falsified regulated products to the nearest NAFDAC office, call 0800-162-3322, or send an email to sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng,” NAFDAC said.
NAFDAC bursts warehouse, seizes banned cosmetics
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that NAFDAC uncovered a warehouse stocked with banned, fake and unregistered cosmetic products worth over N3 billion.
Seized items included hundreds of cartons of Crusader soap, E45 soap and Extract Gold whitening soaps banned by the government.
The manager of the warehouse, which was hidden in a complex, has been invited for questioning as NAFDAC continues its investigation
Source: Legit.ng
