From From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control,(NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, has warned Nigerians against the consumption of fruits ripened artificially with calcium carbide.
According to her, consuming such fruits can lead to severe health issues, including cancer, kidney problems and neurological disorders.
Adeyeye gave this warning on Monday, at the North-Central Zonal NAFDAC Media Sensitization Workshop, on dangers of drug hawking and ripening of fruits with calcium carbide,” held in Lafia, Nasarawa state.
The NAFDAC boss, who was represented by the Director, Chemical Evaluation and Research, Dr. Leonard Omokpariola, explained that fruits artificially ripened may appear ripe on the outside but remain unripe inside and urged the people to be careful with what they consume to ensure their safety.
She also expressed deep concern over indiscriminate hawking of drugs and other industrial consumables such as unpacked beverages saying there was urgent need to regulate their activities and stem their practices and save Nigerians from potential health risks.
She said NAFDAC is committed to collaborate with Association of Health Journalists in Nigeria to mobilize and educate Nigerian journalists to enable them carry out their role in reducing drug hawking and the use of calcium carbide for fruit ripening to the barest minimum.
“NAFDAC is actively conducting sensitization campaigns and enforcement activities to combat these health hazards. Additionally, the agency has commissioned scientific studies to determine the best approach to mitigate the risks associated with fruit ripening using calcium carbide.”
Adeyeye appreciated the participants and solicited for the support of the media in achieving NAFDAC’s mission of ensuring safety of medicines, food, cosmetics, and other regulated products in Nigeria.
Ealier, state coordinator NAFDAC, Nasarawa state Pharm. Omoyeni Babatunji described the synergy between NAFDAC and the media in disseminating crucial information to the public as panacea to ending the activities of drug hawkers.
The State Coordinator, while commending NAFDAC for their commitment to ensuring the safety and quality of food, medicines, cosmetics, and other regulated products in Nigeria said they they are delighted to host the event.
Presenting his paper titled “Dangers of Artificially Ripening Fruits with Calcium Carbides,” Dr. Leonard Omokpariola, further warned breast feeding mothers to be wary of the fruits that are ripened with the substance as they pose serious health challenges to their babies.
“This is very important because whatever the mother eats, the baby also takes, so it is important that you watch what fruit you eat because fruits that are artificially ripened by calcium carbide and other dangerous substances may lead to vomiting and even pose serious health consequences on their children, lead to a state of coma, which may eventually result to deaths.”
Omopkariola, warned that since babies consume what their mothers eat through breastfeeding, consumption of artificially ripened fruits, may also lead to irregular heart beats, if the phosphorus, carbide and arsenic materials from such fruits get into their system and are eventually consumed by their babies.
He said some of the impurities contained in calcium carbide include arsenic, lead particles, phosphorus, which are capable of causing cancer, heart, kidney and liver failure, frequent thirst, irritation in mouth and nose, weakness, permanent skin damage, difficulty in swallowing, vomiting, skin ulcer among others, while higher exposure may cause undesired fluid build-up in lungs (pulmonary oedema).
Earlier, President of the Association of Health Journalists of Nigeria, Hassan Zagi, said it was the responsibility of the media to educate the people of the harmful effects of artificial ripening of fruits and other harmful practices.
Zagi therefore advised Journalists to be in the forefront of creating awareness on the harmful practices in the society especially the illegal hawking of drugs and ripening of fruits with calcium carbide saying the lives and wellbeing of Nigerians are also in our hands.