Skip to main content

Consumer council opens inquiry on Blue Band ‘spread for bread’ controversy

                      
The Consumer Protection Council said on Sunday it has opened inquiry into the controversy about the safety of Blue Band “Spread for Bread” when subjected to high temperature in boiling water.
The council said in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES that it was aware of a short demonstration video circulating on social media about how the product by Unilever Nigeria PLC did not melt or dissolve under certain heat conditions.
The statement signed by the Director General of the Council, Babatunde Irukera, said the video has been a subject of anxiety and intense controversy as it suggested the product was unsafe for human consumption.
Mr Irukera said “available scientific information confirms that, though butter, margarine, and spread appear analogous, and share similar components, characteristics and uses, they are different products available to consumers.”
He said butter and margarine share a particular similar characteristic of low resistance to heat.
As such, the consumer protection agency said both products were likely to melt when subjected to certain levels of heat.
However, the agency said spreads have varying heat resistance, depending on intended use, and production process.
As a result, Mr Irukera explained, even where a spread did not melt under similar heat conditions as butter or margarine, it was not necessarily unsafe for human consumption.
“Spreads are produced in part by adding emulsifiers which are additives used in stabilizing and binding processed foods. They are not inherently unsafe or uncommon.
“The specific emulsifying agent and amount used, largely depends on many factors, including shelf life, storage, handling and climatic conditions in order to prevent microbial activity,” the CPC statement explained.
he council said Unilever already issued a statement to address public concern by differentiating Blue Band “Spread for Bread” product and explaining the purposes of the two different products.
Regardless, the council said it opened the inquiry to determine the product’s safety, and clarify some aspects of Unilever’s statements to the consuming public.
Mr Irukera said the inquiry was to ensure Unilever’s products, differentiated or otherwise, were safe and subjected to proper processes.
Besides, he said, the council wanted to ensure the “in-trade” handling was consistent with the different properties and characteristics of each product.
The council said it would continue to collaborate with the National Agency for Foods Administration & Control and Standard Organisation of Nigeria on applicable safety standards.
It, however, advised members of the public that consumption of butter, margarine or spreads generally are not unsafe.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tyga and his 5-year-old son King Cairo sued by Simon Cowell's ex-fiancee

                        Tyga and his 5-year-old son are being sued over unpaid rent. According to TMZ, they are being sued by Simon Cowell's makeup artist and ex-fiancee,  Mezhgan Hussainy . The report claims that Tyga rented a  Beverly Hills  house from Hussainy for $40K a month. He moved in March of 2017 and was paying his rent until he stopped. In the report, Hussainy claims that the rapper stopped paying rent in January 2018. She's hoping to evict Tyga from her property and wants to get all of the rent back.  The suit against Tyga also lists his five-year-old son  King Cairo  because he listed him on the lease. In the suit, the child is listed as "other defendants." 
Post a Comment
Read more

APC youth leader shot dead by suspected armed robbers while attempting to rescue female petrol station attendant in Edo State

  Unknown gunmen suspected to be armed robbers on Wednesday, March 28, shot dead the youth leader of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Etsako West local government of Edo State, Samson Sedi. Sedi, popularly known as Power Remain, was allegedly killed by armed robbers while attempting to rescue a female petrol station attendant at  NNPC mega in Jattu, Etsako West Local Government Area, who was being robbed on Wednesday in Jattu. The Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has expressed shock at the news of the brutal killing of Mr Sedi. "I was shocked on receiving the news of Mr. Samson Sedi’s death. My heart goes out to his family. I have ordered the relevant security agencies to arrest the killers and prosecute them without delay,” Obaseki said. He described the late Sedi as “a grassroots mobiliser, a philanthropist who cared for orphans and a great lover of people, whose death is a huge loss to Edo people and the APC.” “I learnt he was d...
Post a Comment
Read more

Father insists man who killed his pregnant daughter in Rivers State must marry her corpse before burial

The father of late Ozigie Betty Nwovueze, 32, who was killed by her boyfriend in Wimpy area of Rumuepricom,  Port Harcourt has insisted that the suspect must marry her corpse.    Prince Uwabie also known as J-Boy, 34, who is said to have a history of physically abusing the deceased, beat her on December 2nd until she slumped and died in his house. He hurriedly dug a grave inside his one room apartment and buried her. Read previous story  Here         The father of the deceased, Mr.Wilfred Nwovueze, insists the J-BOY, must marry the corpse of his daugther and perform the full traditional  marriage rites as the customs and tradition of Ndele people in Emohua local Government area.   Nwovueze told Journalists  on Thursday, December 6, that the marriage is in line with a compulsory traditional rites of Ndele people in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State where the deceased hailed from....
Post a Comment
Read more