ABUJA — The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has officially cleared Food & Food Integrated Company Limited, the manufacturer of the popular BON Bread, following an intensive regulatory investigation into a social media controversy surrounding the product’s extended shelf life.
The issue erupted into the public sphere on April 13, 2026, when an internet blogger claimed that a loaf of bread supplied to her retail outlet had remained entirely fresh, soft, and free of mold for over two months. The viral claim sparked immediate public anxiety across Nigeria, with consumers raising alarms over the potential use of toxic or unapproved chemical preservatives to artificially keep the baked goods fresh.
While the original complainant did not explicitly name the brand in the initial viral posts, management at Food & Food Integrated Company Limited proactively identified BON Bread as the subject of the discussion, stoutly defending their production practices and denying any regulatory infractions.
Regulatory Intervention and Lab Findings
In response to the mounting public outcry and safety concerns, NAFDAC immediately deployed an investigative team to ascertain the scientific facts behind the unusual longevity of the bread.
According to an official press statement issued on Sunday by NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Christianah Adeyeye, inspectors from the agency’s Greater FCT Directorate conducted a surprise enforcement and investigative audit at the company’s primary bakery facility in Abuja on April 20, 2026.
During the raid, regulatory officers seized raw condiments and bread samples straight from the production lines. To ensure a unbiased analysis, NAFDAC officials also discreetly purchased separate batches of BON Bread from the open market to serve as control samples for rigorous laboratory testing.
The laboratory results have now comprehensively vindicated the Abuja-based baker.
“Laboratory findings revealed that calcium propionate was used as a preservative, and that the amount of the preservative used was within the limits specified in Codex Alimentarius (Food Code),” Prof. Adeyeye stated.
The apex food safety regulatory body further confirmed that all three distinct batches of BON Bread analyzed—both from the factory floor and retail shelves—returned fully satisfactory results. Crucially, the laboratory screening proved that the bread was entirely free of hazardous, banned substances such as potassium bromate, as well as unauthorized non-nutritive artificial sweeteners.
Adherence to Global Standards
NAFDAC clarified that modern food science allows for the extension of baked goods’ shelf life through approved preservation metrics. The agency emphasized that maximizing shelf stability is a globally accepted commercial practice, provided manufacturers operate strictly within the thresholds defined by the Codex Alimentarius—the internationally recognized collection of standards, codes of practice, and guidelines relating to food safety.
“As a result of the foregoing, the public is hereby informed that the company is not in violation of any of the agency’s regulations,” NAFDAC declared, effectively giving the product a clean bill of health.
Concluding the briefing, the NAFDAC boss urged the public to exercise restraint and patriotism by channeling grievances or suspicions regarding regulated consumer products directly to the agency’s physical offices, digital portals, or its newly commissioned emergency call center. Prof. Adeyeye warned that resorting to sensationalized social media trials before verification can damage legitimate local businesses and cause unnecessary panic, whereas formal reporting ensures matters are discreetly, thoroughly, and scientifically resolved.
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