Lagos State authorities have raised fresh concerns over suspected adulterated palm oil in markets across the state.
Officials warned that some modern adulteration methods may pose serious food safety risks to consumers.
The warning came during the Lagos State Food Safety Conference and Exhibition.
Dr Nurah Oseni, a Senior Lecturer at Auchi Polytechnic, presented findings on emerging palm oil risks.
Her paper was titled, “Palm Oil Adulteration: Emerging Risks, Detection Strategies and Regulatory Control.”
Oseni said palm oil remains vulnerable because of its large trade volume and strong consumer demand.
She also pointed to price differences and informal market practices as factors behind the problem.
Another concern is the difficulty of spotting some modern forms of adulteration.
According to Oseni, some traders may use Sudan and Azo dyes to deepen palm oil’s colour.
She described the dyes as potentially carcinogenic, raising concerns about their use in food products.
She also warned about palm oil being mixed with recovered or recycled oils.
Such oils may include spent cooking oil, according to the food technology expert.
Oseni further raised concerns about mixtures containing several adulterants designed to escape basic checks.
She advised consumers to remain careful when buying palm oil from markets.
