NAFDAC alerts on poisoned corn, recalls brand

By ADEROGBA GEORGE

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has alerted Nigerians about the recalling of Canadian Alasko brand IQF Whole Kernel corn due to possible salmonella contamination.

The alert, with No. 007/2022, signed by the NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Moji Adeyeye, and issued to newsmen in Abuja on Monday, noted that salmonella is a group of bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal illness and fever called salmonellosis.

Adeyeye said that the agency was informed about the recall by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

According to Adeyeye, symptoms of this bacteria are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, loss of appetite, mild fever, weakness and headache.

She said that the symptoms usually begin six hours to six days after infection and last up to four days to seven days.

She added that “the possible risk is that food contaminated with salmonella may not look or smell spoilt, but can still make you sick.

“Young children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with weakened immune system may contract serious and sometimes deadly infections as a result of this bacteria.”

The NAFDAC boss stated that healthy people may experience short-term symptoms such as fever, headache, vomiting, nausea, abdominal cramps and diarrhea, and that long-term complication may include severe arthritis.

She urged importers, distributors, retailers, healthcare providers and consumers to exercise caution in the importation, distribution, sale and use of the recalled lots of the Alasko brand IQF Whole Kernel corn.

She also urged the public in possession of the recalled product to discontinue sale or use and hand over to the nearest NAFDAC office.

Adeyeye encouraged healthcare professionals, consumers and patients to report adverse events related to the use of the product to the nearest NAFDAC office, or NAFDAC PRASCOR (20543 TOLLS FREE from all networks).

The public can also report any adverse events via pharmacovigilance@nafdac.gov.ng or via the NAFDAC ADR e-Reporting platform available at www.nafdac.gov.ng (NAN)