Lagos govt raises alarm over palm oil adulteration, urges Lagosians to be vigilant

The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) has warned Lagos residents against increasingly sophisticated forms of palm oil adulteration, urging consumers to remain vigilant when purchasing the product.

The warning followed a presentation by Dr. Nurah Oseni, Senior Lecturer, Department of Food Technology, Auchi Polytechnic, at the Lagos State Food Safety Conference and Exhibition 2026.

Speaking on “Palm Oil Adulteration: Emerging Risks, Detection Strategies and Regulatory Control,” Oseni identified the use of Sudan and Azo dyes, blending with recovered or spent cooking oils, and multi-adulterant mixtures as emerging risks.

She also raised concerns over falsified product labels and batch records, calling for stronger surveillance and improved detection across the palm oil supply chain.

Oseni advised consumers to use visual checks as an initial precaution but stressed that appearance alone cannot confirm adulteration. She recommended a tiered detection system involving risk-based screening, rapid tests and laboratory analysis.

She also proposed a five-step Lagos surveillance framework: Risk Map, Sample, Screen, Confirm and Act, supported by an adulteration intelligence database and coordinated efforts among regulators, traders, laboratories, researchers and consumers.

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The General Manager/CEO of LASCOPA, Afolabi Solebo, Esq., reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to protecting consumers from unsafe and substandard products.

Solebo urged Lagosians to “shine their eyes” and report suspected adulterated palm oil and unscrupulous traders through LASCOPA’s official channels as market surveillance is intensified across the state.