LAGOS GOVT RAISES ALARM OVER PALM OIL ADULTERATED WITH CANCER-LINKED DYES

The Lagos State Government has raised concerns over increasingly sophisticated adulteration of palm oil in markets across the state, urging residents to be more vigilant about the products they purchase.The warning was issued through the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) following a technical presentation at the 2026 Lagos State Food Safety Conference and Exhibition. Lagos State Government +1According to Dr. Nurah Oseni, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Food Technology at Auchi Polytechnic, palm oil is particularly vulnerable to adulteration because of its high demand, informal trading practices, price differences and the belief among some consumers that a deeper red colour indicates better quality.Cancer-linked dyes among emerging concernsDr. Oseni identified the use of potentially carcinogenic Sudan and Azo dyes to alter the colour of palm oil as one of the emerging food-safety risks.She also raised concerns about the practice of mixing palm oil with recovered or recycled oils, including spent cooking oil, as well as the use of multiple adulterants designed to make contaminated products harder to detect through basic checks. Lagos State Government +1The expert further warned that falsified labels and batch records could make it more difficult to trace adulterated products through the supply chain.Can consumers identify adulterated palm oil?Consumers have been advised to use visual inspection only as an initial precaution. Dr. Oseni explained that palm oil can naturally separate into layers, with the lower portion typically appearing orange to red-yellowish rather than uniformly deep red.However, she stressed that appearance alone cannot confirm whether palm oil has been adulterated. Reliable confirmation requires appropriate screening and laboratory testing. Lagos State GovernmentLASCOPA intensifies surveillanceLASCOPA General Manager and Chief Executive Officer, Afolabi Solebo, urged Lagos residents to remain vigilant and report suspected adulterated palm oil and unscrupulous traders through the agency’s official channels.The agency says market surveillance is being intensified across the state as authorities work to protect consumers from unsafe and substandard products. Lagos State Government +1For consumers, the warning serves as a reminder to pay attention to where palm oil is purchased and to avoid assuming that an unusually deep colour automatically means better quality.**XANDERXO ENTERTAINMENT — Real Stories. Bigger Conversations.**