This statement, as relayed by NAFDAC's Resident Media Consultant, Mr. Olusayo Akintola, emanated from Abuja on Monday, prompting a need to clarify the agency's position regarding the matter.
The aforementioned publication attributed this claim to The Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG), in conjunction with the Civil Society Legislative Advisory Centre (CSLAC) and eHealth. However, Mr. Akintola was resolute in discrediting the stance taken by these organizations in relation to NAFDAC, asserting that the agency indeed possesses well-equipped laboratories dedicated to the analysis of micronutrients in food products.
NAFDAC maintains that it does have laboratories capable of analyzing micronutrients in foods. These laboratories have been conducting annual surveys on food fortification in Nigeria for several years. One of the key facilities, the Central Food Laboratory, boasts internationally accredited micronutrient laboratory units equipped with state-of-the-art equipment.
This laboratory encompasses internationally accredited micronutrient laboratory units equipped with cutting-edge technological apparatus. The Vitamins unit, for instance, conducts tests on vitamins present in food, encompassing Vitamin premix and fortified food vehicles. Vitamins such as fat-soluble Vitamin A and water-soluble vitamins like thiamine, riboflavin, biotin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, cyanocobalamin, and folate are meticulously examined within this unit.
The Metal unit at the laboratory is equipped with modern instruments like Atomic Absorption Spectrometers (AAS), Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometers (ICP-OES), and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometers (ICP-MS) which enable the analysis of nutritional and toxic heavy metals in foods, including fortification vehicles.
Mr. Akintola further emphasized the qualifications of the laboratory staff, who have received extensive training and possess the technical proficiency required to operate the specialized equipment following internationally accepted protocols. The scope of tests conducted by these units has been accredited by the American National Accreditation Board (ANAB) since 2018, and this accreditation is regularly renewed.
