NAFDAC Warns: ‘Sniper Causes Cancer, Deaths’ – Avoid Using for Food Preservation

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has reiterated its warning against using hazardous chemicals to preserve food items. The agency has specifically banned dichlorvos, a chemical often used by traders to prevent food spoilage, due to its severe health risks.

In a statement signed by NAFDAC’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, the agency expressed concern over a recent viral video showing the use of dangerous chemicals to preserve beans, stockfish, and crayfish. The sale of small volume dichlorvos (100 ml or less), known as Sniper®, has been banned since 2019, while larger volumes (one liter) are restricted to certified agrochemical outlets.

NAFDAC’s Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, urged traders to stop using unauthorized chemicals on food, highlighting the severe health risks, including developmental abnormalities, memory loss, reduced fertility, and cancer.

Dr. Rametu Momodu, Director of Veterinary Medicine and Applied Products (VMAP), emphasized that certain pesticides approved as fumigants should be used according to manufacturer specifications and not directly on food. She warned that consuming food contaminated with dichlorvos can cause serious health issues, including dizziness, vomiting, difficulty breathing, tremors, convulsions, and potentially coma or death.

Momodu also stressed that washing contaminated food does not remove the pesticide residues, which pose significant health risks. She advised grain merchants, market vendors, and farmers to follow safety guidelines and report any misuse of chemicals to NAFDAC.

Prof. Adeyeye highlighted alternative, safer methods for food preservation, such as bio-pesticides, and noted that food remaining unspoiled for extended periods might indicate pesticide contamination. NAFDAC has implemented several initiatives, including stakeholder sensitization meetings and thorough laboratory testing to ensure pesticide residues do not exceed maximum limits. Routine monitoring is conducted to ensure compliance.

Adeyeye reaffirmed NAFDAC’s commitment to phasing out toxic pesticides and promoting global best practices, acknowledging the challenges faced by farmers and the importance of transitioning to safer alternatives. She also addressed misconceptions about banned chemicals being dumped in Nigeria, providing comprehensive lists to the media to clarify the situation.