By Jane Okeke
The Cooperate Accountability and Public and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), and Network for Health Equity and Development have warned against plans to use bouillon as a vehicle for food fortification.
The coalition made the disclosure during a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday.
In his speech, the Executive Director of CAPPA, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said the rising burden of non-communicable diseases, rising slump attacks and hypertension in the country could be linked to poor cardiovascular health resulting from loopholes in existing food safety policies and regulatory mechanisms.
He said that the recent food insecurity and economic crisis had led to a significant rise in the living expenses of Nigerians.
Oluwafemi said that the masses could no longer afford basic food items such as garri, giving industries the edge to produce cheaper and ready-to-use ultra-processed alternatives with low nutritional and health benefits.
“In such situations where nutritious food is costly, people only feed to satisfy hunger”.
He called for the immediate discontinuation of ongoing plans to use Bouillon as a food vehicle for fortification as it does not meet all of WHO’s criteria.
He also called for the collaboration between all critical agencies on ensuring that food fortification does not exacerbate Nigeria’s NCD problems through unintended consequences and implementation of Front-of-Pack labels and enforcement of global best practices.
Akinbode also called for the implementation of nutrient profile models for packaged foods in Nigeria and urged Government to regulate the marketing and promotion of high-sodium foods especially to vulnerable groups such as school children.
According to him, the justification for this policy proposal is based on survey findings that Bouillon is consumed by 96% of the populace.
“However, this defies one of WHO’s criteria for food vehicle selection which states that a suitable food vehicle must not pose a threat to public health.
“Resulting from the fortification of salt with iodine, Nigeria presently records an average daily salt consumption reaching up to 10 grams per day, dangerously exceeding the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended limit of 2 grams of sodium per day or less than 5 grams of salt per day, which is equivalent to just one teaspoon of salt daily
Also speaking, the Technical Advisor, Network for Health Equity and Development (NHED), Dr Jerome Mafeni disclosed the excessive consumption of salt and bouillon cubes known as maggi cubes poses dangers to public health.
Mafeni said that the theme highlighted the tension between public health and commercial interests, and the steps which must be taken to prioritise the well-being of Nigerians.
He said, “Nigeria is currently facing a dual burden of malnutrition and a rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.
“A significant contributor to this health crisis is the excessive consumption of sodium, primarily through processed and packaged foods, including widely used seasonings like bouillon cubes and monosodium glutamate (MSG).
“Bouillon cubes, a staple in many Nigerian households, are heavily marketed as essential for enhancing flavour and adding nutritional value to meals.
“However, these products are alarmingly high in sodium. While food fortification is intended to address micronutrient deficiencies, using high-sodium foods as vehicles for fortification is counterproductive and poses significant health risks.
“The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends a daily sodium intake of less than 2 grams (equivalent to 5 grams of salt) for adults, yet many Nigerians consume far more than this due to the high sodium content in these commonly used products.’’
Mafeni said that the marketing practices surrounding these products often misled consumers into believing they were making healthier choices.
Monosodium glutamate is frequently advertised as a safer alternative to table salt, despite its high sodium content. This has resulted in widespread misinformation, further exacerbating the public health crisis.
The need for immediate action to reduce sodium intake among Nigerians is clear.
“High sodium consumption is directly linked to the increasing rates of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases in the country, conditions that are placing a growing burden on Nigeria’s healthcare system.
“Without intervention, these trends will continue to worsen, leading to higher mortality rates, reduced quality of life, and increased healthcare costs.
“Today, we urge the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and other relevant agencies to accelerate preliminary activities for salt and sodium regulation in Nigeria”, he said.
On her part, Program Officer (Salt Targets) CAPPA, Bukola Olukemi Odele, said that as much as delivering micronutrients to the populace is crucial, policymakers must ensure that policies and implementation programs for fortification align with the country’s public health aspirations, such as the reduction of diet-related NCDs.
