NAFDAC must intensify war against food adulteration in markets – AAUA Don

….Seeks strict penalties for offenders

NAFDAC and other regulatory agencies have been challenged to strengthen the war against adulteration of food in the markets.

A Professor of Toxicology and Environmental Biochemistry, at the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Augustine Olusola, said the measure was necessary to tackle the practice which he said causes chronic diseases affecting the liver, kidneys, blood, and reproductive tissues.

He made the recommendation while delivering the 46th Inaugural Lecture of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, on Tuesday, 26 August 2025.

The lecture is titled “From a Biochemist to a Toxicologist: My Odyssey”.

Prof. Olusola also recommended stronger enforcement of food safety standards, increased public health education, greater support for compliant producers, continuous research and monitoring, and strict penalties for offenders.

“Agencies like NAFDAC and SON must enhance surveillance in open markets, focusing on retail points where adulteration is prevalent. Awareness campaigns are also needed to empower consumers to identify adulterated products and understand associated health risks, while promoting direct purchases from reputable sources may reduce exposure and risks”, he said.

He further noted, “Economic incentives and certification programmes for small-scale producers who adhere to safety standards could foster healthier market competition. Continued scientific investigation is equally needed to track trends, refine detection methods, and evaluate long-term health impacts, just as rigorous legal enforcement against offenders is essential to deter this dangerous practice.”

Citing some recent research works, the Don observed that most markets in the state, particularly in the Central Senatorial District, are flooded with adulterated products, with serious health implications.

The Inaugural Lecturer who affirmed the efficacy of local herbs, advocated stricter tests, validation and regulation of herbal concoctions with the same rigour applied to synthetic drugs.

He also called for a reinvention of medical frontiers so that ancient herbal knowledge and modern science can converge to combat contemporary diseases. He highlighted the curative potential of a local herb, Clompanus pubescens, in the treatment of diabetes.

According to him, “In the hands of indigenous healers, Clompanus pubescens has been used for fatigue, memory loss, and stress-symptoms that closely resemble those found in diabetic patients suffering from cognitive decline, a condition now recognised as diabetic encephalopathy.”

He explained that laboratory tests showed that rats treated with Clompanus pubescens exhibited improved memory and learning behaviour, as well as marked improvement in symptoms associated with diabetes.

Prof. Olusola stressed, “I advocate for a new scientific movement-one that tests, validates, and regulates natural compounds with the same rigour applied to synthetic drugs. This is especially critical in Nigeria, where natural products hold the key to low-cost, culturally accepted therapies. While conventional medicine undergoes rigorous testing, traditional remedies often bypass biochemical scrutiny.”

He added that despite its long use in Nigeria and Cameroon for symptoms overlapping with neurodegeneration, Clompanus pubescens remains poorly studied and therefore offers a new frontier for research by academics and scientists.

Speaking while introducing the Inaugural Lecturer, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Olugbenga Ige, noted that the Inaugural Lectures provide an opportunity for professors to share their research findings for the benefit of society. He expressed his profound appreciation to Professor Olusola for his invaluable contributions to the University.