The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has cleared the maker of BON Bread of any regulatory wrongdoing following an investigation into a widely shared social media video that showed a loaf of the bread apparently remaining free of mould for nearly two months, triggering public debate about food preservatives and consumer safety.
Following inspections at the company’s bakery facility in Abuja and laboratory analysis of bread samples from both the production site and the open market, NAFDAC said it confirmed that Food and Food Integrated Company Limited was in full compliance with regulatory and food safety standards.
The agency said laboratory findings revealed that the bread contained calcium propionate, an internationally approved preservative used in bread production, within permissible limits specified by the Codex Alimentarius. Tests confirmed the absence of harmful substances including bromate and non-nutritive sweeteners. The company, which has operated since 2006, had maintained regulatory compliance throughout its history without penalties or product recalls.
NAFDAC urged Nigerians to report concerns about regulated products at any of its offices nationwide to ensure prompt and evidence-based investigations, while BON Bread’s founder cautioned against accepting social media claims uncritically, saying the controversy had negatively affected livelihoods linked to the business. The person who originally posted the viral video said she would inform the public if official results confirmed the product’s safety.
