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Rabat – Global food giant Nestle vehemently denies adding sugar to infant food products in low and middle-income countries despite lab findings.
The news comes after an investigation was conducted by the Swiss investigative organization Public Eye in collaboration with the International Baby Food Action Network. Their findings revealed that Nestle’s baby food products, including milk, cereal, and infant formula, sold in low and middle-income countries like Nigeria, contained added sugars, contradicting the company’s claims.
In response to the allegations, Nestle issued a statement reaffirming its commitment to stringent regulatory standards and nutritional guidelines.
The company emphasized that its products adhere to labeling requirements and carbohydrate content thresholds, reiterating that sugars are not added to infant formulas for children aged 0-12 months in Nigeria.
However, laboratory tests conducted on Nestle’s baby food products in Asia, Africa, and Latin America revealed the presence of added sugars. Meanwhile, products aimed at children between one and three years in Europe were found to be free of added sugars, according to the test results.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has cautioned against the addition of sugar to baby foods, citing potential health risks such as chronic diseases, obesity and addiction to such additives.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), responsible for regulating such products in Nigeria, expressed concern over the findings. NAFDAC denied prior knowledge of added sugars in Nestle’s infant products.
This is not the first time Nestle has faced scrutiny over its operations in Nigeria. In 2019, the company came under fire for its water factory in Manderegi, within Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which was accused of contaminating the community’s water source.
The incident led to a lack of potable water for residents and environmental degradation, prompting intervention from regulatory authorities.
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