By OLAWUNMI ASHAFA

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and food safety experts have called for strict regulatory compliance in the bakery and confectionery sector to protect public health and curb illegal practices.

They made the call on Monday in Lagos during a stakeholder engagement which has its theme as, “Building Consumer Trust Through Quality and Safety: A Regulatory Compliance Mandate for Industry Operators”.

The Head of Quality Assurance at the FCCPC stated that every loaf sold represents an act of trust, adding that economic pressures like high energy and production costs do not justify substandard ingredients, deceptive practices, or poor hygiene.

He urged operators to strengthen quality management, maintain truthful labeling, and comply with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018.

Also speaking, Dr Grillo Adebayo, Department of Food Science, University of Lagos, raised alarm over the illegal use of potassium bromate, a banned, carcinogenic bread improver used to cheaply increase loaf volume.

Adebayo revealed that a review of 47 Nigerian studies across the six geopolitical zones confirmed the presence of bromate in wheat flour and finished bread.

He added that a specific study found bromate in 14 out of 36 tested bread samples, all of which were unregistered with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

"Some bakeries falsely label their products ‘bromate-free’ despite containing the chemical,” Adebayo said, noting that the proliferation of unregistered, unlabelled artisanal bread complicates monitoring.

He highlighted poor post-baking handling during cooling, slicing, and packaging as the primary source of microbial contamination, as baking heat eliminates initial pathogens.

To mitigate biological, chemical, and physical hazards, Adebayo urged bakers to adopt Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) protocols, strict equipment disinfection, and proper waste management.

In his remarks, Mr Peter Nwebonyi, Head of Legal, FCCPC South-West Zonal Office, warned that the commission would continue enforcing standards under its enabling act alongside regulations from NAFDAC and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

"We look into other laws like the NAFDAC Act and the SON Act and enforce them,” Nwebonyi said, adding that the commission is empowered to conduct unannounced factory inspections to catch defaulters.

He cautioned trade associations against anti-competitive practices, such as setting excessive entry fees or artificial barriers, warning that the sensitisation exercise precedes full-scale regional market enforcement and factory shutdowns.

The event brought together representatives from NAFDAC, SON, the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA), the Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria, raw material suppliers, and industry operators. (NAN)

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