Golden Penny Semovita and other Semolina products have been verified by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to be free of plastic and other contaminants.
According to the agency, this is in reaction to a social media video showing a woman washing Golden Penny Semovita in a sieve with cold water and claiming that the residue she got after filtering was plastic.
NAFDAC noted that a similar video was shown in 2020 which the agency had addressed at the time.
NAFDAC Director General, Moji Adeyeye, in a statement on Monday, said the agency confirmed that the claim was not true after an appropriate analytical testing in its internationally accredited laboratories.
The agency added that Semovita contained the expected components plus the required Vitamin A, describing the claim in the viral video as misleading.
“NAFDAC wishes to reassure the public that Golden Penny Semovita and indeed all other semolina products registered by the Agency are safe for human consumption having been so approved by the Agency, following science-driven regulatory diligence.
“There is no cause for apprehension by consumers as such approved products are manufactured in line with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and in compliance with the Nigerian Industrial Standards, which is continuously monitored by NAFDAC.
“Members of the public are implored to exercise discretion in the use of social media to address any suspicion they may have on regulated products. Resorting to social media has the tendency to cause fear and panic,” the statement partly read.