What appears to be good-quality palm oil may not always be safe for consumption, as experts warn that adulterators are adopting more sophisticated methods to disguise contaminated products.
The warning was issued at the 2026 Lagos State Food Safety Conference and Exhibition, where a senior lecturer at Auchi Polytechnic, Nurah Oseni, highlighted growing concerns over palm oil adulteration.
Oseni identified the use of potentially carcinogenic Sudan and Azo dyes to alter the colour of palm oil as one of the emerging risks. She also raised concerns about the mixing of palm oil with recovered or recycled oils, including spent cooking oil, as well as the use of multiple adulterants designed to evade basic quality checks.
According to her, consumers may use appearance as an initial check, but colour alone cannot confirm the safety or quality of palm oil. She recommended risk-based screening, rapid physicochemical and spectroscopic tests, and confirmatory laboratory analysis to detect adulteration.
Oseni also proposed a five-step surveillance framework for Lagos – Risk Map, Sample, Screen, Confirm and Act, backed by proper sampling and traceability procedures.
The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency, LASCOPA, says it will intensify market surveillance across the state to protect consumers from unsafe and substandard products.
The agency’s General Manager and Chief Executive Officer, Afolabi Solebo, urged residents to report suspected adulterated palm oil and unscrupulous traders through LASCOPA’s official channels.
