The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) has warned residents about what it described as an increasing presence of sophisticated adulterated palm oil in markets across the state.
The warning followed a technical presentation at the Lagos State Food Safety Conference and Exhibition by Dr. Nurah Oseni, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Food Technology at Auchi Polytechnic.
LASCOPA’s General Manager, Afolabi Solebo, urged consumers to remain vigilant and report suspected cases through the agency’s official channels as market surveillance is intensified.
Solebo said the agency would take action against traders found dealing in adulterated or unsafe products, including arrest and prosecution where appropriate under applicable laws.
In her presentation, titled “Palm Oil Adulteration: Emerging Risks, Detection Strategies and Regulatory Control,” Oseni said palm oil is particularly vulnerable to adulteration because of its high demand, consumers’ preference for a deep-red colour, price differences and informal trading practices.
She identified some emerging concerns as the use of Sudan and Azo dyes to alter the colour of palm oil, the mixing of palm oil with recovered or recycled oils such as spent cooking oil, and combinations of multiple adulterants designed to evade basic testing methods.
Oseni advised consumers to use visual inspection only as an initial precaution. She noted that genuine palm oil may naturally separate into layers, with the lower portion appearing orange to red-yellowish rather than uniformly deep red.
However, she stressed that appearance alone cannot conclusively determine whether palm oil has been adulterated, making proper testing and regulatory surveillance important for consumer safety.
