The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned grain merchants to desist from using dichlorvos and other dangerous chemicals to preserve food, considering their toxicity and inherent dangers.

Recall that the sale of small-volume dichlorvos (100 ml or less), sold as Sniper®, has been banned since 2019, while the sale of the large volume (one litre) is limited to certified agrochemical outlets.

The regulator, while underscoring the toxicity of the preservative to human health, stressed that its use could result in fatal cases.

Reacting to a viral video showing individuals using dangerous chemicals to preserve food items like beans, stockfish and crayfish, NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, urged traders and merchants to desist from using unauthorised chemicals on food meant for human consumption.

She restated that the misuse of dichlorvos poses significant risks to human health, manifesting in both short-term and long-term consequences.

Long-term exposure can result in severe health implications, including developmental abnormalities in offspring, memory loss, reduced fertility, and potential carcinogenic effects. These adverse effects highlight the importance of adhering to safety guidelines to mitigate the risks associated with dichlorvos exposure.

She mentioned alternative use of bio-pesticides as a safer option, noting that overstayed food remnants could be contaminated, hence the emphasis on freshness and storage in the refrigerator.

Adeyeye disclosed that NAFDAC has implemented several initiatives such as stakeholders’ sensitisation meetings on restricting the direct application of dichlorvos on grains and foodstuffs except having gone thorough laboratory testing to ensure pesticide residues do not exceed maximum limits for both in-country consumption and exports, adding that routine monitoring of stakeholders is also being conducted to ensure compliance.

She expressed the agency’s commitment to ensuring global best practices, including the phase-out of certain pesticides that have been banned in other countries due to proven toxicity.

The NAFDAC boss acknowledged the challenges faced by farmers due to the ban on various chemicals, underlining the importance of transitioning to safer alternatives.

Addressing misconceptions about banned chemicals being dumped in Nigeria, she clarified that comprehensive lists have been provided to the media to dispel such notions.

The Director of Veterinary Medicine and Applied Products (VMAP), Dr. Rametu Momodu, reiterated that using certain chemicals, especially pesticides, to preserve grains is not an approved practice.

She explained that there are approved pesticides for use as fumigants, which should be deployed according to the manufacturer’s specifications, cautioning that they should not be applied directly to food due to their inherent danger to human health.

Momodu warned that consuming food contaminated with dichlorvos could cause dizziness, vomiting, difficulty in breathing, tremors and convulsions, and some cases, result in coma and death.

She warned that once used, pesticide residues remain on or in the food, posing significant health risks, as washing the food does not mitigate the risk, as the harmful substance would have already soaked into it.

She stated that her establishment could not recommend washing as a solution, as it gives a false sense of security.

Momodu urged grain merchants, vendors and farmers to adhere strictly to manufacturer’s guidelines and refrain from directly applying dichlorvos to beans and other foodstuffs.

“It should be used as intended, either as a field crop treatment or a fumigant, to ensure food safety,” she advised.

The director also counselled consumers to stop patronising vendors known to engage in such practices and to report them to the nearest NAFDAC office for appropriate action.