The Premium Breadmakers Association of Nigeria has firmly rejected allegations that its members are compromising on bread quality in response to rising ingredient costs.
This follows the recent revelations from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control that some bread in the market is failing laboratory tests due to the use of saccharine as a substitute for sugar, according to Vanguard.
PBAN emphasized that its members adhere to strict production standards and are committed to maintaining the quality of their products despite the financial pressures caused by the increasing cost of ingredients.
During a recent stakeholders engagement meeting organised by the agency in Ibadan, NAFDAC Southwest Coordinator, Mrs Roseline Ajayi, said “Recently, we observed that bread sold in the markets is failing laboratory tests because producers are using saccharine due to the high cost of sugar.
“They are introducing ingredients that are not good for the health of the consumers.”
However, the President of PBAN, Engr. Emmanuel Onuorah, vouched for the members of the association across the country.
Onuorah said “I can conveniently speak for PBAN members across Nigeria.
“PBAN members do not use unwholesome materials to produce our bread, we are very mindful of the quality of bread we produce for consumers knowing the negative health implications of the use of unwholesome baking materials to bake bread.
“We would rather adjust the price of our bread to maintain quality, rather than use unwholesome material to produce bread that will cause health problems to Nigerians.
“In PBAN, we have our Compliance Unit that monitors the materials that our members use to produce. Our constitution empowers the Exco to report any of our members found using unwholesome materials to bake bread to our regulator, NAFDAC.”
Onuorah, acknowledged that the continuous increase in the prices of essential baking materials—including flour, sugar, ascorbic acid, bread softener, bread improver, eggs, milk, and yeast—poses significant challenges for bread producers across the country.
