May 11, (THEWILL) — For as long anybody can remember, good and healthy food products have always existed alongside unhealthy ones and the sellers shared spaces without rancour. But times are changing and so do people and their preferences.
The menace of selling expired food products and expired medicines in open markets, malls and other public places is raising serious concern on public health, particularly, the safety of Nigerians, who inadvertently consume such items. Some news reports recently noted that the sharp practice of altering expiry dates on products is increasingly aggravating this menace, as hapless consumers, including children, face food borne illnesses and untimely death.
According to the reports, many producers, especially those in the consumable goods industry, have devised various ways of altering expiry dates on their products. The same goes for vendors and hawkers, who are now in the habit of playing a ‘fast one’ on hapless customers.
In one video ‘showcasing’ such ‘ingenious’ methods of these criminals, a cellotape was used to wipe off the expiry dates of some branded sausage rolls, while in another video, spirit was applied to the bottom of some can beers and with the use of a tissue paper, the date was cleaned off and a new date was pasted with a stamp-like object.
It is also observed that while it is mandatory to put expiry dates on products for safety purposes, a good number of products are in circulation across markets in major cities such as Lagos, Onitsha, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Enugu, Kano and others that have no expiry dates, yet they still find their way into homes, schools and other places where they are consumed or used.
According to a food system consultant (name withheld) eating expired and unsafe food poses a greater health risk than temporary hunger. The consultant, who underscored the possibility of long-term harm to health by expired foods, said individuals who received such items, often distributed as economic relief or palliatives, were being exposed to health risks.
“If you buy and consume processed food, please check labels and inspect the expiry dates. If the food has expired, that means it is unsafe. Expired foods simply mean foods that the date put on them by the manufacturer, has expired. It also means that the wholesomeness of that food is expired. Anything after that date, it is risky to eat such food.”
Experts have listed health problems associated with consuming spoiled or expired food as ranging from minor digestive issues to serious bacterial infections. The harmful bacteria, mold, or toxins in the foods can cause poisoning and other serious illnesses that may lead to death.
The main risk in eating expired food, especially canned food, the reports claim, is that of developing botulism bacteria. It can be the result of sterilisation of food not being perfect, or container failure allowing pathogens to enter and contaminate the food.
The experts raised the alarm that it is increasingly becoming a daily phenomenon in the country today for Nigerians to consume food items that have passed their expiry dates, because of the belief that such items are still in good state or because their prices have been slashed. But is it safe to eat expired food?
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says unsafe food containing harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances causes more than 200 diseases, ranging from diarrhoea to cancers. It also creates a vicious cycle of disease and malnutrition, particularly affecting infants, young children, elderly and the sick.
The global body stated that food safety, nutrition and food security are inextricably linked, revealing that an estimated 600 million – almost one in every 10 people in the world – fall ill after eating contaminated food and 420, 000 die yearly.
“About $110b is lost each year in productivity and medical expenses resulting from unsafe food in low- and middle-income countries. Children under five years of age carry 40 per cent of the food borne disease burden, with 125, 000 deaths every year.
