LASCOPA Warns Against Contaminated Groundnut Oil in Lagos

The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) has issued a warning to residents regarding the consumption or purchase of groundnut oil that spilled from a fallen 33,000-litre tanker. The agency highlighted the risk of contamination due to exposure to dirt, dust, harmful microorganisms, fuel, and other hazardous substances.

Afolabi Solebo, the General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of LASCOPA, stated that even if the oil appears clean, its safety cannot be verified through visual inspection alone. He warned that consuming contaminated edible oil could lead to foodborne illnesses and other adverse health effects.

Solebo also noted that cooking or heating contaminated oil may not eliminate certain chemical hazards, posing further health risks. He urged residents to refrain from collecting, purchasing, or consuming oil recovered from accident scenes and cautioned traders against reselling such products without proper safety assessments.

Solebo reiterated the importance of access to safe products as a fundamental consumer right and encouraged reporting of unsafe food products to LASCOPA.