The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mojisola Adeyeye, has clarified that foods designated as genetically modified organisms (GMO) are safe for human consumption.
There have been concerns by many Nigerians that GMO foods may have some health risks, with some linking such foods to cancer.
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But speaking on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday, Mrs Adeyeye, a professor, said contrary to some claims, GMO foods are not dangerous to human health.
“GMOs are genetically modified foods when it comes to food, and they are not bad for us.
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“They are not bad for us, depending on what type of foods they are and whether the safety considerations have been taken,” she said.
The NAFDAC DG, however, said it is important that marketers properly label GMO foods to guide Nigerians in consuming them.
“The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) is the agency charged with ensuring the safety of foods that have GMOs. We work in collaboration with them.
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“They are mandated to ensure that the foods that have GMOs are of quality, they are safe, and they are efficacious,” she stated.
“Without them certifying that they have done their due diligence in their laboratory or for desk review or whatever, we cannot approve.”
‘What Nigerians should do to protect health’
Mrs Adeyeye urged Nigerians to imbibe the habit of checking food labels for GMO indications, assuring that approved products in the market undergo strict safety evaluations.
“I look at the label. I want to be sure that NAFDAC’s label is on it, or if I’m outside the country. Before my time in NAFDAC, when I had all the time, I would look at the label. And it’s supposed to have ‘genetically modified food’ written on it,” she said.
“So, when you look at the food on the table in the market, especially in grocery stores. You will see foods labelled organic. You put labels (on food items) that are not organic, and people have the choice to buy which one they want.”
‘Like NAFDAC, other agencies should be involved’
Mrs Adeyeye said that although NAFDAC has a role to play in the monitoring and certification of food items consumed in Nigeria, other agencies in various states must get involved in ensuring Nigerians consume only safe foods.
“But for NAFDAC, we are mandated to ensure that the food that we approve for the market is safe, is of quality, of course, and it is efficacious.
“So that is the reason why the collaboration between us and the NBMA is very solid.
“Without them certifying that they have done their due diligence in their laboratory for desk review or whatever, we cannot approve,” she said.
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