The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) has issued a warning to residents about the increasing sophistication of palm oil adulteration methods. According to LASCOPA General Manager, Afolabi Solebo, the agency has intensified market surveillance across the state to safeguard consumers from purchasing unsafe and substandard palm oil. This move aims to encourage consumers to be vigilant when buying palm oil.
A Senior Lecturer in the Department of Food Technology at Auchi Polytechnic, Dr. Nurah Oseni, presented a report at the Lagos State Food Safety Conference and Exhibition 2026, highlighting the risks associated with palm oil adulteration. Dr. Oseni noted that palm oil is particularly vulnerable to adulteration due to its high trading volume, consumer perception of deep-red color as a quality indicator, price differences, and challenges in detecting sophisticated adulterants.
Dr. Oseni identified emerging risks in palm oil adulteration, including the use of potentially carcinogenic Sudan and Azo dyes to alter color, blending with recovered or recycled oils such as spent cooking oil, and multi-adulterant mixtures designed to evade basic quality checks. She also raised concerns about digital and traceability fraud, including falsified product labels and batch records.
To mitigate these risks, Dr. Oseni advised consumers to use simple visual checks as an initial precaution when purchasing palm oil. She explained that palm oil may separate into layers, with the lower layer typically appearing orange to red-yellowish rather than uniformly deep red. However, she cautioned that visual checks alone cannot confirm adulteration.
Dr. Oseni recommended a tiered detection system involving risk-based screening, rapid physicochemical and spectroscopic tests, and confirmatory laboratory analysis, supported by proper sampling and chain-of-custody procedures. She proposed a five-step surveillance framework for Lagos: Risk Map, Sample, Screen, Confirm, and Act, which should be supported by an adulteration intelligence database and coordinated efforts among stakeholders.
LASCOPA General Manager, Afolabi Solebo, urged Lagosians to remain vigilant and report suspected adulterated palm oil and unscrupulous traders through the agency's official channels. Solebo emphasized that the agency would continue to intensify market surveillance to protect consumers across the state.
The warning and proposed measures aim to address the growing concern of palm oil adulteration in Lagos State. Key points include the need for consumers to be aware of the risks and take precautions, the importance of a tiered detection system, and the role of coordinated efforts among stakeholders in preventing adulteration.
Key points
- LASCOPA intensifies market surveillance to protect consumers from adulterated palm oil.
- A tiered detection system and coordinated efforts among stakeholders are recommended to prevent palm oil adulteration.
- Consumers are advised to use simple visual checks and report suspected adulterated palm oil and unscrupulous traders.
