The Director General, National Orientation Agency Mallam Lanre Issa Onilu who was represented by the Oyo State Director, of the agency (NOA), has cautioned market women and men in Ibadan to stop the use of harmful chemicals to preserve edible food items in the market. She also orientates the people on the effects of using dangerous chemicals on food items during storage.
Dr. Afolayan made this statement on Wednesday during a public sensitization program tagged ‘Campaign Against the Use of Dangerous Chemicals in the Preservation of Foods’ held at Mapo Hall in Ibadan.

Dr Afolayan, while addressing the market women and men present, laid emphasis on the common harmful preservatives used to preserve food in the markets that can cause health hazards.
She also harped on the negative effects of these dangerous chemicals and the adverse effects they can cause to the body. The list of the different chemicals used in preservation, she added are not limited to formine used for stock fish, hypo bleaching detergent on Cassava, Calcium Carbide for Plantain, Snipper on Beans and other grains, Azo Dye on Palm oil and a host of others.

“The common use of these harmful chemicals on food has posed numerous dangers to the health of our people. Many of the common diseases and terminal illnesses which our people experience are majorly as a result of the dangerous preservatives in the food, which causes cancer, renal, and kidney failure, infertility in women, memory loss and in severe instances leads to death.” Dr. Afolayan stated.
She warns that the Federal Government has put in place measures for checking the use of such chemicals in food preservation and defaulters will henceforth be apprehended.
While speaking, the NAFDAC representative, Mrs Damola Salami, also stated the harmful diseases usually caused by these dangerous chemicals used in food preservation in our markets. She made recommendations on the types of food crops for consumption, such as fresh foods, fruits, and vegetables that are not preserved with these chemicals.

She also prescribed the use of bio-fertilizers, their effects on food are non-existent, and they do not affect taste.
‘The very essence of this program is also to reorientate and enlighten our people on the vulnerability of the body system when we consume food preserves using these chemicals.

“The withholding and re-entry periods in food preservation are not in practice as we now practically expose our body system and food items to inherent dangers by touching and consuming these badly preserves food items.” she added.
There was also the interactive session where salient questions were being asked, and NOA as well as NAFDAC representatives were duly on hand to do justice to the question and further enlighten the gathering.

The dignitaries present at the campaign include the Iyaloja of Ibadan, Alhaja Iswat Abiola Ameringun, who lend her voice to the sensitization theme. NSCDC representative, and a host of various market women, men across main markets in Ibadanland and other stakeholders.