The authenticity that comes with branded products in the endorsement of regulatory agencies is what stands them out from competing brands, even counterfeits. In Nigeria, the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, continues to take measures against counterfeit products for the well-being of Nigerians. The particular case of combating the sale and distribution of sub-standard, unbranded, and rewrapped monosodium glutamate (MSG) products comes to mind.  

What is MSG? 

Monosodium glutamate (MSG), also known as sodium glutamate, is a flavor enhancer that is widely used to promote/intensify and enhance savoury taste and flavors in sauces, meats, broths, soups, and many more foods. MSG is made by fermenting starch, sugar beets, sugar cane, or molasses. The fermentation process uses microbes that consume glucose, releasing glutamic acid. The glutamic acid is then neutralized and crystallized to produce MSG.

NAFDAC and the World Health Organization have classified MSG as a food ingredient that is safe and healthy for consumption. This has helped to bar many myths such as MSG causing severe headaches and other health challenges; also, that it’s only found in Asian food, Conversely, most scientific evidence indicates MSG is safe for consumption in typical amounts and glutamate is a naturally occurring amino acid found in many foods we eat, including tomatoes, meat, fish, eggs, cheese, corns and nuts. 

NAFDAC’s Measures Against Unbranded MSG

In recent years, there has been a huge infiltration of some markets in the parts of Northern Nigeria with substandard, unbranded, and rewrapped MSG products which has led NAFDAC to implement painstaking measures.

Some of the measures include strict product registration requirements, rigorous market surveillance, consumer education campaigns, handheld technology for on-site testing (like TruScan), and the Mobile Authentication Service (MAS) which allows consumers to verify product authenticity through a unique scratch-off code and SMS verification.

All these measures are essentially to ensure all products are properly labelled and meet quality standards before reaching the market. Also to empower consumers to easily identify potentially fake products at the point of purchase.

Despite all of these thorough measures, unbranded and substandard MSG continues to flood the Northern market with health experts raising alarm over the impending health implications. 

The Dangers of Unbranded MSG 

Just as counterfeit products can be very dangerous to the health and safety of the customer, ingesting substandard, unbranded, and rewrapped MSG is unsafe, too.

It poses potential health risks in the use of second-rate materials or contaminated harmful substances that can cause serious health issues like liver and kidney damage to cardiovascular problems. Beyond the substandard quality is the unhygienic environment they are produced, stored and packaged; all of these points to serious health challenges. 

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The challenges of counterfeit products are not new in Nigeria, only that its rise has been alarming lately, with the overwhelming counterfeiting of medicines, and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages- a very unfortunate situation that has raised serious concerns among health experts.

In 2024, it was reported that over N500m worth of fake drinks were seized in Lagos State, one can only imagine what must have happened in other parts of the country. The same goes for counterfeit medicines which had resulted in the deaths of many and closure of pharmaceutical stores nationwide. 

The health risks of substandard and unbranded MSG begin with the fact that they are adulterated which can cause allergic reactions, organ damage in heart, kidney, and liver. It can also cause cancer due to the carcinogenic properties of some of the substandard materials used in their production. In all of these, the unsuspecting buyers are shortchanged because they are not getting real value and will also suffer severe health challenges causing harmful, and sometimes fatal, consequences.

The North and Unbranded MSG: Way Forward  

The huge infiltration in the Northern market needs to be seriously attended to, bringing all-hands-on-deck to save unsuspecting buyers. The objective will be to ensure the safety of customers and ensuring they get their money’s worth in the purchase of MSG. To achieve this, NAFDAC needs to double-down on these merchants of death who are selling unbranded and substandard MSG in the markets.

The war against these unbranded and substandard MSG should involve the Nigeria Customs because some of them are illegally imported and criminally distributed in the market. The sad part is that the merchants know these but greedily prefer to make profit at the expense of their fellow men’s well-being.  

In as much as we can’t leave out the economic challenges which fuelled the purchase of these products, the health implications are grave enough to continually sensitise the public. From their uninviting sights in the marketplace to the unhygienic displays in uncovered sacks and tin cans for measurements or on trays in transparent nylons are pointers to the fact that they are unhealthy.  

Awareness should be created on the essence of quality above quantity with a message informing/educating on the purchase of branded MSG which comes in sachets and have NAFDAC approval- two factors that authenticate these brands.  The various leading brands in the MSG segments too should pull their weight in this sensitisation campaign to save the industry because not only will it affect their revenues but also damage the image of their brands. 

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