Cancer Risk: Beware of Bledine Infant Cereals – NAFDAC Issues Public Warning

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued a public alert following reports that Chad has banned Bledine Infant Cereals produced by the Danone Group over contamination concerns, as reported by Nairametrics.

The agency said the affected products are already circulating in Nigeria, particularly in border communities neighboring Chad.

According to the report received by NAFDAC, Chadian authorities imposed the ban because the cereals failed to meet European safety standards for Aflatoxin B1, a carcinogenic toxin found in some agricultural products.

The agency noted that assessments have shown the affected batches are present in Nigeria, raising renewed concerns about the safety of infant food sold in local markets.

NAFDAC explained that Aflatoxin B1 is a potent carcinogen and an immunotoxin capable of causing serious immune system disorders in infants and young children.

Products affected
The banned cereals are produced by Danone Group, a French multinational food and beverage company.

The categories identified include Bledine Cereals Saveur biscuit, Bledine Saveur Biscuit & Lait, Bledine Miel & Lait, and Bledine Banane & Lait.

The listed expiry dates range from September 2026 to March 2027.

The agency has directed all zonal directors and state coordinators to begin market surveillance and remove any affected products found in their locations. This includes checks across retail shops, informal markets and distribution channels that may be receiving goods through Nigeria’s border communities.

Healthcare professionals, distributors, retailers and caregivers have also been urged to take extra precautions. NAFDAC advised them to verify the authenticity and physical condition of all infant food products and ensure they are purchased only from licensed and authorised suppliers.

How to report adverse reactions
The agency encouraged consumers and health workers to report any adverse reactions or suspected side effects linked to the affected products.

Reports can be submitted at any NAFDAC office, through the e-reporting tools available on the agency’s website, via the Med-safety app on Android and iOS, or by email at pharmacovigilance@nafdac.gov.ng

What you should know
NAFDAC has issued a series of stern warnings to Nigerians as it intensifies its crackdown on counterfeit and substandard medicines and consumer products.

In a major raid in Lagos, they seized more than N1.5 billion worth of banned, expired, and counterfeit goods. The crackdown targeted items in the cosmetics section of a warehouse in the city’s Trade Fair area, where officials discovered expired products alongside fake items that had bypassed proper safety testing.

In another case, NAFDAC intercepted 16 shipping containers at Onne Port in Port Harcourt carrying fake and banned pharmaceutical products worth about N20.5 billion. Among the seized items were codeine syrup, tramadol tablets, unregistered erectile dysfunction drugs, and falsified diclofenac.

Earlier in the year, NAFDAC halted the registration of locally manufactured and imported multi-dose Artemether/Lumefantrine oral suspension after stability tests revealed that reconstituted formulations lose their potency over time.

Nairametrics