FG sets up c’ttee on ascorbic acid use in foods

The Federal Government has set up a technical committee to determine standard safe use of benzoic and ascorbic acids in foods.

This followed the controversies generated by the recent court judgement on the rejection of some manufactured soft drinks exported from Nigeria to the United Kingdom.

A statement at the weekend by the Head of Public Relations of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mr Bola Fashina, said the committee is to determine the safety of benzoic acid in foods and determine if the use of benzoic acid can be replaced in foods.

The statement said Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, inaugurated the National Technical Committee as a result of concerns raised by stakeholders on the issue and the government’s commitment to the safety and wellbeing of Nigerians.

The committee, chaired by Professor Babajide Alo of UNILAG has held its first meeting in Lagos and it has two weeks to submit its report to the Minister of Health.

Members of the committee were drawn from the Department of Chemistry, University of Lagos, the Food and Drugs Section of the Federal Ministry of Health, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), as well as Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Association of Food, Beverages and Tobacco Employers and representative of Civil Society Organisations.