The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Moji Adeyeye, has warned Nigerians to immediately stop consuming an organic apple and black currant juice originating from Australia. She gave the name of the juice as Pure Tassie Organic and Blackcurrant Juice.
The NAFDAC boss issued the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria. According to her, the products have been certified to be harmful for human consumption.
“The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of Hong Kong’s Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has warned against the consumption of Pure Tassie Organic Apple and Blackcurrant Juice originating from Australia.
This was due to unacceptable level of patulin (a mycotoxin) which had exceeded the maximum limit in fruit juice,” she said.
According to the NAFDAC boss, the level of patulin content in the affected fruit juice can induce liver, spleen, and kidney damage when consumed. She added that the toxic level would affect the immune system and causes nausea, gastrointestinal disturbance, and vomiting.
She implored importers, distributors, retailers, and consumers to immediately stop the importation, distribution, sale, and consumption of the affected fruit juice.
She urged members of the public in possession of the affected fruit juice to submit stock to the nearest NAFDAC office.
She also called on healthcare professionals and consumers to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of this product to the nearest NAFDAC office through NAFDAC PRASCOR (20543 TOLL-FREE from all networks). She added that the agency can also be reached via [email protected] or via the NAFDAC ADR e-Reporting platform available at www.nafdac.gov.ng.
