The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and food safety experts have warned bakery and confectionery operators to comply strictly with regulatory standards to protect consumers and prevent unsafe practices.
Newsonspot gathered that the warning was issued in Lagos on Monday during a stakeholder engagement themed, “Building Consumer Trust Through Quality and Safety: A Regulatory Compliance Mandate for Industry Operators.”
The FCCPC’s Head of Quality Assurance said every loaf of bread sold to consumers represents an act of trust, stressing that rising energy and production costs cannot justify the use of substandard ingredients, misleading claims or poor hygiene.
He urged bakery operators to strengthen their quality management systems, provide accurate product labels and comply with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018.
Food safety expert Dr Grillo Adebayo of the Department of Food Science, University of Lagos, also raised concerns over the illegal use of potassium bromate, a banned and potentially carcinogenic bread improver sometimes used to increase loaf volume at a lower cost.
Adebayo said a review of 47 Nigerian studies conducted across the country’s six geopolitical zones confirmed the presence of bromate in wheat flour and finished bread.
He further disclosed that one study detected bromate in 14 of 36 bread samples tested, with all the affected products found to be unregistered with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
According to him, some bakeries also falsely advertise their products as “bromate-free” despite containing the chemical, while the widespread production of unregistered and unlabelled artisanal bread makes effective monitoring more difficult.
Adebayo identified poor handling after baking, particularly during cooling, slicing and packaging, as a major source of microbial contamination. He explained that although baking heat destroys pathogens present initially, contamination can occur during subsequent handling.
To reduce biological, chemical and physical risks, he advised bakery operators to adopt Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) systems, disinfect equipment properly and maintain effective waste management practices.
Also speaking, the Head of Legal at the FCCPC South-West Zonal Office, Peter Nwebonyi, said the commission would continue enforcing consumer protection and safety standards alongside regulations administered by NAFDAC and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).
Nwebonyi said the FCCPC has the authority to conduct unannounced inspections of factories and other facilities to identify operators violating regulatory requirements.
He also warned trade associations against anti-competitive practices, including excessive entry fees and artificial barriers that could prevent new operators from entering the market.
According to him, the stakeholder sensitisation programme is a precursor to wider regional market enforcement, which could include the shutdown of factories found to be operating in violation of established regulations.
The engagement was attended by representatives of NAFDAC, SON, the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA), the Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria, raw material suppliers and other industry stakeholders.
The FCCPC said the enforcement drive is aimed at strengthening compliance, improving product safety and restoring consumer confidence in Nigeria’s bakery and confectionery industry.
