NAFDAC says the formulation of tomato paste and ketchup products with sugar “is safe for consumption”.
NAFDAC in a statement explains that sugar is added to these products for a number of reasons, including but not limited to masking bitterness, enhancing colour and flavour, improving texture and taste consistency, and as a preservative.
The clarification followed the ongoing rift between Erisco Foods Limited, manufacturer of Nagiko tomato paste, and Chioma Egodi, a consumer who gave a review of the product.
Egodi took to her social media Facebook handle on September 17 claiming that she tasted Nagiko Tomato mix — one of the tomato paste variants of the firm — and found it sugary
NAFDAC statement in part says the product, Nagiko tomato mix is a registered product, adding that he product’s registration number is A8-7430, though not yet on its database due to a significant backlog. And it is actively updating the Registered Products Database and addressing the backlogs.
In reaction to Egodi, Erisco Foods in a statement says the claim is “untrue and unfounded”.
The company says the post was intended to mislead customers and discredit its image as previously instigated by some elements and syndicates who are uncomfortable with its increasing market dominance as a leading indigenous manufacturer of 100% natural tomato pastes.
The customer, Edogi was later arrested by the police after the company filed a complaint about the post.
