The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has cautioned Nigerians against consuming fruits ripened by calcium carbide.
The warning was issued by the director-general of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye, in her keynote address on Thursday at the south-south zone media sensitization workshop on the dangers of drug hawking and ripening fruits with calcium carbide in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
Calcium carbide is a greyish-black lump or crystalline chemical substance with a garlic-like odour. It can be used to generate acetylene gas, as a reducing agent, and is used in steel manufacturing and metal cutting.
Adeyeye, who was represented by the director of chemical evaluation and research, Leonard Omokpariola, said the consumption of such artificially ripened fruits portends sleeping disorders, mouth ulcers, skin rashes, kidney problems and cancer.
The NAFDAC chief said calcium carbide is alkaline in nature and erodes the mucosal tissue in the abdominal region and disrupts intestinal functions.
The director-general said NAFDAC has commenced campaigns in the nooks and crannies of the country to eradicate the menace of using the chemical substance to ripen fruits.
“Consumption of fruits containing these impurities may cause cancer, heart, kidney and liver failure,” NAN quoted Adyeye as saying.
“They may also cause frequent thirst, irritation in mouth and nose, weakness, permanent skin damage, difficulty in swallowing, vomiting, skin ulcer and so on.
See Also: Over 70 Per Cent Of The Products Exported From Nigeria Are Rejected – NAFDAC
“Higher exposure may cause undesired fluid build-up in lungs (pulmonary oedema).
“Acetylene produced by calcium carbide affects the neurological system and reduces oxygen supply to the brain and further induces prolonged hypoxia.
“The impurities are hazardous to pregnant women and children and may lead to headache, dizziness, mood disturbances, mental confusion, memory loss, cerebral oedema (swelling in the brain caused by excessive fluids), sleepiness, and seizure.”
Adeyeye also appealed to Nigerians not to patronise drugs by hawkers.
She said the menace of drug hawking posed a serious challenge to the healthcare delivery system in the country, noting that NAFDAC has resolved to totally eradicate the illicit trade.
“Drug hawkers are also the major distributors and suppliers of narcotic medicines to criminal networks, including armed bandits, insurgents, kidnappers and armed robbers,” she said.
“Drug hawkers constitute a serious threat to our national security.”
- Gov Alex Otti Reacts To Tribunal Judgment - October 7, 2023
- Fake Credentials: Soyinka Dares Accusers To Prove Allegations - October 7, 2023
- Ukraine Vow To Shun UEFA Competitions Featuring Russian Teams - September 27, 2023
