The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has seized expired products worth more than N5 million from shops in Minna.

Hauwa Yusuf, state coordinator (Niger 1), SON, said on Saturday in Minna that some of the products had expired seven years ago but were still sold to unsuspecting consumers.

She made the declaration at a ceremony where SON presented the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) certificate to Kiara Rice Mills, located in the Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger.

Ms Yusuf listed products seized as teas, chocolate drinks, juice, yoghurt, biscuits, coffee, margarine, milk, bath soaps and gels, body and face creams, packaged powdered beans, and maize, amongst others.

“We went to some sachet water industries and seized their water filters and pipes, which were overgrown with algae.

“We cannot allow such sachet water producers to continue to use those filters to filter water for the public to consume.

“We also seized stickers of a reputable product from another manufacturer who intended to use them to market his fake or substandard products,’’ she said.

Ms Yusuf expressed concern at the high rate of circulation of expired, uncertified, unregistered and substandard products in marketplaces.

“It is worrisome that the Nigerian market is still flooded with expired, uncertified, unregistered, and substandard products regularly used by undiscerning citizens.

Ms Yusuf assured that SON had stepped up its compliance action to ensure that markets were sanitised of expired and substandard products.

“We will make sure that every product that is not up to standard or expired will not be sold in the market,’’ she said.

Similarly, Sale Babaji, director, North-Central zone of SON, enjoined the public to always inform the organisation about expired or unregistered products in marketplaces.

He explained that such information was necessary to enable SON to apprehend those involved, prosecute them and destroy the products to safeguard public health

Mr Babaji represented SON’s director-general, Farouk Salim, while appealing at the presentation of the MANCAP certificate to Kiara Rice Mills for adhering to the standard.

He also cautioned food processors and vendors to desist from using toxic chemicals as preservatives to improve the aesthetics of their food items.

(NAN)