The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has alerted Nigerians to the circulation of suspected counterfeit and unregistered Cerelac Mixed Fruits and Wheat products in Lagos State.
- +NAFDAC alerts Nigerians to counterfeit Cerelac Mixed Fruits products in Lagos
This alert was issued in a public notice by the agency on its website.
This alert was issued in a public notice by the agency on its website.
Cerelac Mixed Fruits and Wheat is a widely consumed infant cereal in Nigeria, often used as a first food for babies
According to NAFDAC, the development followed a complaint received by Nestlé Nigeria Plc over the sale and distribution of the suspected counterfeit product, purportedly manufactured by Nestlé Spain.
Preliminary findings showed that the product emitted an unusual odour suggestive of possible contamination and had expired despite displaying a future expiry date of October 2026, indicating that the date had been tampered with.
The agency said its Post Marketing Surveillance team traced the product to a retail outlet in Okota, Lagos, where it was found on sale and subsequently removed from circulation.
The key distinguishing feature is the date marking format.
It warned that counterfeit infant formula may lack essential nutrients and could contain harmful substances, posing serious health risks, including developmental issues or death in infants.
The agency has directed its officials nationwide to intensify surveillance and remove the product wherever found, while urging distributors, retailers, and caregivers to source products only from authorised suppliers.
Consumers and healthcare providers are advised to report any suspected counterfeit products to the nearest NAFDAC office or through the agency’s official reporting channels.
In a recent safety alert, the agency flagged other baby foods like Aptamil and Cow & Gate infant and follow-on milk formulas, and a revalidated SMA Gold infant formula discovered in Kaduna State after altered expiry dates were linked to illness in a four-month-old infant.
NAFDAC has also destroyed unwholesome and expired medical products valued at more than N15 billion in Ibadan, removing falsified and harmful drugs from circulation to protect public health.
