NAFDAC Issues Alert as Chad Bans Bledine Infant Cereals Over Toxic Contamination

NAFDAC has issued alert following Chad’s banning of Bledine Infant Cereals over toxic contamination.

NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised a public alarm after Chad announced a ban on several Bledine Infant Cereals produced by the Danone Group due to dangerous levels of contamination.

NAFDAC confirmed that the affected products are already circulating in Nigeria, especially in border communities close to Chad, heightening concerns about the safety of infant foods available in local markets.

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According to the notification sent to NAFDAC, Chadian authorities banned the cereals after laboratory tests showed they failed European safety standards for Aflatoxin B1, a highly carcinogenic toxin commonly found in contaminated grains and agricultural products.

Aflatoxin B1: Serious Risk to Infants

 

The agency warned that Aflatoxin B1 poses severe health risks, describing it as a potent cancer-causing substance and an immunotoxin that can significantly weaken the immune systems of infants and young children.

Market assessments conducted by NAFDAC indicate that some of the contaminated batches have already entered Nigeria’s distribution channels.

Products Affected

The banned Bledine Cereals manufactured by French multinational Danone include:

• Bledine Cereals Saveur Biscuit

• Bledine Saveur Biscuit & Lait

• Bledine Miel & Lait

• Bledine Banane & Lait

The products carry expiry dates between September 2026 and March 2027.

NAFDAC Orders Nationwide Market Surveillance

 

The agency has directed all zonal directors and state coordinators to immediately commence market surveillance to identify and remove the affected cereals. Inspections will cover retail stores, open markets, and distribution points, including those that receive supplies from border areas.

Healthcare providers, distributors, retailers, and caregivers have been urged to exercise extreme caution. NAFDAC advised that all infant foods should be verified for authenticity and sourced only from authorised and licensed sellers.

How to Report Suspected Adverse Reactions

NAFDAC called on consumers and health workers to promptly report any side effects or suspected reactions linked to the banned products. Reports can be submitted through:

• Any NAFDAC office nationwide

• The e-reporting portal on the agency’s website

• The Med-safety app (Android & iOS)

• Email: pharmacovigilance@nafdac.gov.ng

Background: NAFDAC Intensifies Crackdown on Unsafe Products

This warning comes as NAFDAC continues major nationwide enforcement actions against counterfeit and substandard products.

Recent operations include:

• Seizure of ₦1.5 billion worth of banned and expired cosmetics during a raid in Lagos Trade Fair Complex

• Interception of 16 shipping containers at Onne Port containing fake and banned pharmaceuticals valued at ₦20.5 billion—including codeine syrup, tramadol, and unregistered erectile dysfunction drugs

• Suspension of registration for locally produced and imported Artemether/Lumefantrine oral suspension after stability tests showed loss of potency post-reconstitution

NAFDAC urged Nigerians to remain vigilant, especially when purchasing infant foods and medicines from informal markets.