PUBLIC health experts and other stakeholders in Nigeria have raised serious concerns about the proposed increase in iron and zinc consumption levels through bouillon cubes (commonly known as Maggi).
They warned that higher consumption of iron and zinc through the cubes could lead to elevated sodium levels, which pose a greater health risk.
At a press briefing organised by the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), alongside the Network for Health Equity and Development, NHED in Abuja, on Thursday, August 22, the experts highlighted the dangers associated with the excessive sodium content in bouillon cubes, which they said are consumed by over 90 per cent of Nigerian households.
According to them, Nigerians are at a higher risk of life-threatening conditions like kidney failure, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases if the proposed policy in the recent Consumption and Micronutrient Survey (NFCMS) report is adopted.
A leading public health specialist and NHED Technical Advisor, Jerome Mafeni, CAPPA executive director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, and CAPPA’s food and nutrition scientist, Bukola Odele, pointed out that the high sodium content in the cubes, coupled with the widespread misconception that they are a healthy seasoning alternative, has led to their overuse in Nigeria.
The executive director of CAPPA said the organisation was raising concerns in response to the release of the National Food Consumption and Micronutrient Survey (NFCMS) report.
He noted that some key policy decisions proposed in the report had raised concerns about the intent of the proponents of these ideas.
“Amongst this is the consideration of bouillon cubes (what we commonly call maggi) as a food vehicle for delivering iron and zinc to households in order to combat micronutrient deficiencies in Nigeria. The justification for this policy proposal is based on survey findings that bouillon is consumed by 96 per cent of the populace,” he said.
According to him, due to the fortification of salt with iodine, Nigeria currently sees an average daily salt consumption of up to 10 grammes per day, which he said dangerously exceeded the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended limit of two grammes of sodium per day, or less than five grammes of salt per day – equivalent to just one teaspoon daily.
He said fortifying another high-sodium food such as bouillon would put Nigerians at risk of a higher sodium intake.
“Furthermore, certain industry players and their co-travellers are disseminating unverified scientific information, false research claims and spreading deceptive marketing information through social media influencers to promote monosodium glutamate (MSG) and bouillon as nutritious, safe and healthy for human consumption without also informing consumers that these products contain harmful quantities of sodium which could lead to hypertension, heart, and kidney failure,” he added.
High levels of sodium contributing to rise in non-communicable diseases in Nigeria
On his part, Mafeni disclosed that excessive sodium intake was a significant contributor to the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Nigeria.
“Nigeria is currently facing a dual burden of malnutrition and a rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension and cardiovascular diseases,” says Mafeni, adding that “a significant contributor to this health crisis is the excessive consumption of sodium, primarily through processed and packaged foods, including widely used seasonings like bouillon cubes and monosodium glutamate (MSG).
While noting that food fortification might be intended to address micronutrient deficiencies, using high-sodium foods as vehicles for fortification is counterproductive and poses significant health risks.
Appeal to regulatory bodies
Meanwhile, the public health experts in their briefing urged regulatory bodies to collaborate to monitor these fortification programme to ensure compliance with global standards and best practices, especially in the selection of food vehicles.
Speaking further, Mafeni stressed that without intervention, the trends would continue to worsen, leading to higher mortality rates, reduced quality of life, and increased healthcare costs.
Stakeholders highlight demands
Highlighting their demands to address the growing health concerns, the stakeholders called for immediate discontinuation of the plans to use bouillon as a food vehicle for fortification.
They also called for the implementation of front-of-pack labels and regulation of the marketing and promotion of high-sodium foods.
Besides, the stakeholders charged the government with implementing effective country-wide salt/sodium reduction interventions.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: [email protected]. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M