The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has alerted the public of a contaminated 50cl Sprite glass bottles circulating in Nigeria. Sprite is produced by Nigerian Bottling Company Limited.
The unhealthy 50cl Sprite drink bottle with batch number (BN AZ6 22:32) is said to contain contaminated particles.
In a statement signed by the agency’s management, NAFDAC disclosed that the product was discovered following a consumer complaint received and investigated by its post-marketing surveillance unit.
NAFDAC said its investigation revealed that over five crates of the implicated batch (BN: AZ6 22:32) of Sprite 50cl glass bottles with manufacturing date (MFD: 180423) were discovered to be contaminated with paparticles.
The statement added: “The affected batch of the unwholesome product has been sampled for laboratory analysis in the NAFDAC laboratory and the Agency has directed all zonal directors and state coordinators to carry out surveillance and mop up the implicated batch of the unwholesome product.”
The agency promised to find the root cause of the contamination by carrying out a comprehensive current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) Inspection of the manufacturing site to ensure compliance.
NAFDAC has directed the company, (Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (Abuja plant) to recall the implicated batch of the unwholesome product and report to NAFDAC for effective monitoring.
The agency also implored those in possession of the contaminated Sprite 50cl glass bottles to submit stock to the nearest NAFDAC office while it urged distributors, retailers, and consumers to be cautious and avoid the consumption, sale, or distribution of the unwholesome product.
Recall that a Lagos High Court judge, Justice Adedayo Oyebanji, in 2017, ruled that some popular soft drinks sold under the Coca-Cola brand could be poisonous.
Specifically, the court ruled that high levels of benzoic acid and additives in Coca-Cola’s soft drinks could pose a health risk to consumers when mixed with ascorbic acid, commonly known as vitamin C.
The judge had ordered the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) – the local manufacturer of the soft drinks – to place labels on the beverages to inform consumers against drinking them with vitamin C, CNN reported.
The judge also gave a fine equivalent to $6,350 (£5,115) to the National Agency For Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for failing to ensure health standards.
“It is manifest that NAFDAC has been grossly irresponsible in its regulatory duties to the consumers of Fanta and Sprite manufactured by Nigeria Bottling Company,” the judge said.
NAFDAC has failed the citizens of this great nation by its certification as satisfactory for human consumption products […] which become poisonous in the presence of ascorbic acid,” he added.
The court gave the ruling ruling following a nine-year-long court battle initiated by Nigerian businessman Fijabi Adebo.
However, the Coca-Cola company had insisted the “claims are inaccurate and unsupported by science.”
“All our products are safe and strictly adhere to regulations in the countries where they are sold while complying with our company’s stringent global safety and quality standards,” the company said.