Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has warned Nigerians about the growing use of potentially harmful chemicals in the production and sale of fruits and vegetables, revealing that laboratory tests once found his wife’s freshly prepared orange juice unsafe for consumption.
Osinbajo made the disclosure during a gardeners’ seminar in Lagos on August 28, where he spoke on the need to protect the environment and improve food safety practices.
According to him, his wife, Dolapo, had switched from carbonated drinks to freshly squeezed orange juice as part of a healthier lifestyle. However, she later began experiencing persistent headaches without an obvious cause.
After checking other aspects of her diet, the former vice president said a sample of the orange juice was eventually taken to a laboratory for analysis.
The result, he said, was alarming.
Osinbajo explained that the test indicated that the supposedly fresh orange juice was not suitable for human consumption, prompting concerns about what substances may have entered the fruit before it reached their home.
He used the experience to draw attention to the alleged use of hazardous chemicals by some farmers and fruit traders to accelerate ripening, preserve produce or improve its appearance.
Among the substances he mentioned was calcium carbide, which he said had been linked to the artificial ripening of fruits such as bananas, mangoes and tomatoes.
He also referred to studies examining chemical use among fruit sellers. One 2024 study, according to Osinbajo, found that 50 per cent of 20 sellers interviewed admitted using calcium carbide, while another study recorded a lower but still significant level of usage.
He further cited a 2023 survey in Lagos involving 50 fruit and vegetable retailers, saying 22 respondents admitted using chemicals to preserve their products.
Osinbajo said other substances reportedly used by some traders included gamma-lin-20, Sniper and phosphite, describing some of them as highly dangerous.
He stressed that consumers should not assume that attractive-looking fruits or naturally prepared beverages are automatically safe.
The former vice president called for stronger monitoring of food production and distribution, as well as tougher enforcement against unsafe practices.
He also urged authorities to educate farmers and traders about safer methods of handling and preserving agricultural produce.
For consumers, Osinbajo advised greater caution when purchasing fruits and other fresh products, encouraging them to ask questions, examine what they buy and report suspicious practices to the appropriate authorities.
His comments come amid increasing concerns over reports of counterfeit and adulterated food and consumer products in Nigerian markets, with social media users recently raising alarms over allegedly fake toothpaste, cooking products, yoghurt and other household items.
