As criticisms continue to trail alleged excess sugar in infant formulas produced by Nestle and sold in Nigeria, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has said the Nido follow-up milk formula is not known to the agency, not registered in Nigeria and not in circulation in the country.

  
Campaigners from Public Eye, a Swiss investigative organisation, had accused Nestle of adding sugar to infant formulas after it sent samples of the Swiss multinational’s baby-food products sold in Asia, Africa and Latin America to a Belgian laboratory for testing.
  
According to Public Eye, the results and examination of product packaging revealed added sugar in the form of sucrose or honey in samples of Nido, a follow-up milk formula brand intended for use for infants aged one and above, and Cerelac, a cereal aimed at children aged between six months and two years.The report noted that Nido Kinder 1+ products sold in South Africa, Nigeria and Senegal all contained nearly 1g per serving, the report said.

Public Eye’s agriculture and nutrition expert, Laurent Gaberell, challenged Nestlé to put an end to these dangerous double standards and stop adding sugar in all products for children under three years old, in every part of the world.”
 
But in a statement yesterday in Abuja, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, said NAFDAC would always exercise due regulatory diligence in the registration of infant and young children foods distributed and used in Nigeria. 
  
She explained that the range of Nestle Cerelac infant cereals distributed in Nigeria was duly registered with NAFDAC, in line with the Nigerian Industrial Standard for Foods for Infants and Young Children – Processed Cereal Based foods (NIS 256:2010) and the Codex Standard for Processed Cereal-based Foods for Infants and Young Children (CXS 74-1981), adopted in 1981, revised in 2006, amended in 2017, 2019, and 2023), as well as the applicable NAFDAC regulations for compliance with safety, quality, and labelling requirements.

  
Adeyeye said; “The attention of the Management of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has been drawn to a media report circulated widely to the general public via social media, stating that Nestle, the world’s largest consumer goods company, adds sugar and honey to infant milk and cereal products sold in many poorer countries, contrary to international guidelines aimed at preventing obesity and chronic diseases.
  
“The report goes further to state that samples of baby food products sold in Asia, Africa and Latin America were tested and results of analysis, and examination of product packaging revealed added sugar in the form of sucrose or honey in samples of Nido, a follow-up milk formula brand intended for use for infants aged one and above, and Cerelac, a cereal aimed at children aged between six months and two years.
  
“The management of NAFDAC wishes to use this medium to reassure the public that: Regarding the mention of Nido follow-up milk formula in the publication, NAFDAC wishes to state that the product is not registered in Nigeria, is not known to the agency and is not in circulation in Nigeria. The range of Nestle Cerelac infant cereals distributed in Nigeria are duly registered with NAFDAC in line with the Nigerian Industrial Standard for Foods for Infants and Young Children – Processed Cereal Based Foods (NIS 256:2010) and the Codex Standard for Processed Cereal-based Foods for Infants and Young Children (CXS 74-1981 adopted in 1981, revised in 2006, amended in 2017, 2019, and 2023), as well as the applicable NAFDAC regulations for compliance with safety, quality, and labelling requirements.”