The Coalition Against Public Health Risks has called on the Nigerian government to urgently address rising public health concerns related to the potential excessive salt consumption, especially in light of proposed policies to fortify foods with micronutrients using bouillion cubes, otherwise known as seasoning cubes.

The Coalition urged the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to promptly review the recently released National Food Consumption and Micronutrient Survey (NFCMS) report.

The report, they argue, contradicts existing national policies that advocate for reduced salt intake to prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like hypertension and cardiovascular diseases, given that bouillion cubes are already high in sodium.

The Coalition warned that the new policy could have unintended negative consequences, as the government pushes for food fortification while industry players and social media influencers continue to aggressively promote bouillon cubes, potentially compromising public health for profit.

According to the coalition, the new proposed policy is capable of creating unintended negative consequences as the government seeks to fortify food vehicles of the citizens with micronutrients while the industry players and social media influencers aggressively promote bouillion cubes regardless of the consequences to public health

Given this, the coalition is demanding an immediate halt to the plans to use bouillion cubes as a vehicle for nutrient fortification, emphasizing that this approach does not meet WHO standards and could have unintended consequences for public health.

They also urged collaboration among all relevant agencies to ensure that food fortification policies do not exacerbate Nigeria’s already significant burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

The Coalition also advocated for the implementation of Front-of-Pack labels (FOPL) on food products to help consumers make informed choices. FOPL provides clear, easy-to-understand information about the nutritional content of packaged foods, particularly regarding sodium, sugar, and saturated fats. By enabling consumers to make healthier choices, FOPL can play a crucial role in reducing sodium intake across the population.

In addition, the Coalition demanded that the government regulate the marketing and promotion of high-sodium foods, particularly those targeted at vulnerable groups like schoolchildren.

They also called for effective, nationwide salt and sodium reduction interventions to curb the rising incidence of ‘slump attacks’ and hypertension, which are increasingly common across the country.

During a press conference on Thursday, Akinbode Oluwaferni, Executive Director of  Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), said the Coalition’s concerns were amplified following the release of the NFCMS report, which highlighted potential policy shifts that could have serious public health implications.

One such proposal is the fortification of bouillion cubes, widely known as ‘Maggi’, with iron and zinc to combat micronutrient deficiencies in Nigeria.

“Although bouillon is consumed by an estimated 96% of the population, this proposal raises significant concerns. The World Health Organization (WHO) criteria for food vehicle selection state that the chosen food must not pose a threat to public health—a criterion that high-sodium bouillon cubes do not meet.

“Nigeria currently faces alarming levels of salt consumption, with the average daily intake reaching up to 10 grams per day.

“This far exceeds the WHO’s recommended limit of 2 grams of sodium per day, or less than 5 grams of salt—a mere teaspoon daily.

“The fortification of another high-sodium food product like bouillon cubes could exacerbate the already dangerous levels of sodium consumption, putting millions of Nigerians at increased risk of hypertension, heart disease, and kidney failure.

“Adding to these concerns, certain industry players are disseminating misleading scientific information and false research claims, often promoted by social media influencers, to market monosodium glutamate (MSG) and bouillon cubes as safe and nutritious.

“This deceptive marketing fails to inform consumers of the high sodium content in these products, which poses significant health risks.

“The ongoing economic crisis and food insecurity in Nigeria have compounded the problem.

“As basic food items like garri become increasingly unaffordable, industries are capitalizing on the situation by producing cheaper, ultra-processed alternatives with low nutritional value.

“In this environment, where nutritious food is beyond the reach of many, people are forced to prioritize hunger satisfaction over nutritional content, further endangering their health.

Jerome Mafeni, Technical Advisor at the Nigerian Health Education Development (NHED), highlighted that food fortification is not a new practice and questioned why industry players promoting bouillon cubes have failed to inform the public about the scientifically proven negative effects of high salt consumption.

He criticized the industry players for not conducting research and transparently sharing their findings with the public regarding the fortifications they have been implementing for decades in Nigeria.

He also criticized the deceptive marketing practices surrounding the products, which often mislead consumers into believing they are making healthier choices.

He said the urgent need for stricter regulations on high-sodium foods has become inevitable, stressing that the tension between public health and profit must be addressed.

The Coalition also called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), and other relevant agencies to enforce their mandates in addressing this critical issue.

Additionally, the Coalition announced plans to engage the National Assembly and other stakeholders to ensure that the policy is reviewed in alignment with existing public health guidelines.

Source: The Nation