Nigerian Public Alert 65: The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is alerting healthcare providers, caregivers, and the public about reports of suspected counterfeit and unregistered CERELAC Mixed Fruits and Wheat products being sold in Lagos State, Nigeria.
Nestle Nigeria Plc, the genuine Marketing Authorization Holder for CERELAC Mixed Fruits and Wheat, received a complaint on the sale and distribution of suspected counterfeit CERELAC Mixed Fruits and Wheat, purportedly manufactured by Nestlé Spain, bearing Batch Code 308002910.
According to Nestle Nigeria, the complainant reported that the counterfeit product emitted an odour suggestive of possible contact with fuel. Preliminary review of the product by Nestle Nigeria indicated that the product has expired despite the can displaying an expiry date of 10-2026, which suggests that the date coding has been tampered with (revalidated).
On investigation, the Post Marketing Surveillance (PMS) Directorate Officers in Lagos State conducted a surveillance visit at Maxland Shopping Center, 193 Ago Palace Way, Okota, Lagos, where the product was purchased by the complainant. The suspected counterfeit and unregistered CERELAC Mixed Fruits and Wheat were found on sale at the premises and subsequently mopped up by the PMS officers.
The Marketing Authorization Holder assisted in clearly identifying the distinguishing features between registered and unregistered CERELAC products. The key distinguishing feature is the date marking format.
- The unregistered product uses a hyphen (-) to separate the day from the year.
- The registered product uses a slash (/) to separate the day from the year.
It is important to note that Nestle Nigeria is not aware of the channels through which the products are supplied into the country.
Nestle Cerelac Mixed Fruits and Wheat is a nutritious infant cereal designed to be a delicious first food for infants.
Potential Risks:
Counterfeit formula often lacks essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, leading to stunted growth or developmental issues. They may also contain contaminants that may lead to severe health consequences to infants or even death.
Product Details
The details of the revalidated product are as follows.
| Status | Counterfeit |
| Product Name | CERELAC Mixed Fruits and Wheat |
| Purported Manufacturer | Nestlé Spain |
| Batch Code | 308002910 |
| Manufactured Date | Not available |
| Expiring Date | 10-2026 |
| Stated NAFDAC Reg. No | Nil |
Product Photo
NAFDAC remains committed to safeguarding public health and will continue surveillance activities to ensure the quality, safety, and efficacy of all NAFDAC-regulated products circulating in Nigeria.
All NAFDAC zonal directors and state coordinators have been directed to carry out surveillance and mop up the revalidated product if found within the zones and states.
Distributors, retailers, healthcare professionals, and caregivers are hereby advised to exercise caution and vigilance within the supply chain to avoid the distribution, sale, and use of the SF product. All packaged food and medical products must be obtained from authorized/licensed suppliers. The products’ authenticity and physical condition should be carefully checked.
Healthcare professionals and consumers are advised to report any suspicion of the sale of substandard and falsified regulated products to the nearest NAFDAC office, call NAFDAC on 0800-162-3322, or via email: sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng
Consumers are encouraged to report suspected availability of the Counterfeit CERELAC Mixed Fruits and Wheat to the nearest NAFDAC office. Report adverse events or side effects related to the use of the implicated product to the nearest NAFDAC office, or through the use of the E-reporting platforms available on the NAFDAC website www.nafdac.gov.ng, or via the Med-safety application available for download on Android and IOS stores, or via e-mail on pharmacovigilance@nafdac.gov.ng
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