The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) has issued a warning to residents regarding the purchase of palm oil, citing growing concerns over sophisticated adulteration methods. According to LASCOPA, the agency will step up market surveillance across Lagos to identify and remove unsafe and substandard palm oil, protecting consumers from potential health risks. This move aims to address the risks associated with adulterated palm oil.
A Senior Lecturer in the Department of Food Technology at Auchi Polytechnic, Dr. Nurah Oseni, presented a paper at the Lagos State Food Safety Conference and Exhibition 2026, highlighting the factors that make palm oil susceptible to adulteration. These factors include its large trading volume, price differences, and informal market practices. Dr. Oseni emphasized that palm oil is particularly vulnerable to adulteration due to its high trading volume and consumers' association of deep-red color with quality.
Dr. Oseni identified several adulteration methods, including the use of potentially carcinogenic Sudan and Azo dyes to deepen the color of palm oil. Another emerging concern is the mixing of palm oil with recovered or recycled oils, such as spent cooking oil. Furthermore, some adulterants are being combined in ways designed to bypass basic quality checks, making detection more difficult. These methods pose significant health risks to consumers.
Beyond physical adulteration, Dr. Oseni raised concerns about traceability fraud, including falsified product labels and batch records. She called for stronger monitoring and improved testing procedures throughout the palm oil supply chain. To ensure the safety and authenticity of palm oil, Dr. Oseni recommended a tiered detection approach combining risk-based screening, rapid physicochemical and spectroscopic testing, and confirmatory laboratory analysis.
Dr. Oseni advised consumers to conduct simple visual checks as an initial precaution when purchasing palm oil. However, she stressed that such observations cannot independently establish whether a product has been adulterated. Palm oil can separate into layers, with the lower layer generally appearing orange to red-yellowish instead of having a uniformly deep-red appearance. Consumers should not rely solely on color or other visual characteristics to determine the safety or authenticity of palm oil.
The General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of LASCOPA, Afolabi Solebo, reaffirmed the agency's commitment to shielding Lagos residents from unsafe and substandard products. Solebo urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspected cases of adulterated palm oil and traders involved in such practices through the agency's official channels. LASCOPA will intensify market surveillance across the state as part of efforts to protect consumers.
LASCOPA's efforts to combat adulterated palm oil include a five-stage surveillance framework based on "Risk Map, Sample, Screen, Confirm and Act". This framework is backed by an adulteration intelligence database and coordinated efforts involving processors, traders, laboratories, regulators, researchers, and consumers. The goal is to protect consumers from the risks associated with adulterated palm oil and ensure a safer market for palm oil products.
Key points
- The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) will step up market surveillance to identify and remove unsafe and substandard palm oil.
- Palm oil is vulnerable to adulteration due to its high trading volume, price differences, and informal market practices.
- Consumers are advised to conduct simple visual checks and report suspected cases of adulterated palm oil.
