The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has dismissed the alleged claims made against Golden Penny Semovita, suggesting that it contains plastic materials.
A video circulating on social media depicted a woman washing Golden Penny Semovita in a sieve and finding a residual elastic substance, which she claimed was plastic.
In a statement issued on Monday, NAFDAC disclosed that a similar video had emerged in 2020, prompting an urgent analysis of various brands of Semolina after the incident. Golden Penny Semovita is a well-known brand of semolina, a popular wheat-based flour consumed nationwide.
After conducting comprehensive analytical tests, NAFDAC’s results confirmed the absence of plastic or any other harmful contaminants in Golden Penny Semovita.
The statement emphasized that the assertions made in the social media video were misleading.
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NAFDAC further clarified that semolina contains gluten, which comprises two types of proteins: glutenin and gliadin. Glutenin contributes to the rising of bread dough during baking, while gliadin provides the dough with viscous and elastic properties, giving it an extensible and elastic nature. The video displayed the rubbery, plastic-like appearance caused by the gliadin component, not actual plastic content.
According to NAFDAC, semolina does not contain plastic; rather, it exhibits viscous and elastic characteristics due to the presence of gluten. The agency explained that the rubbery residue observed in the video after repeated washing with water was the result of gluten formation when the gluten-forming proteins mixed with water.
Golden Penny Semovita is manufactured by Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc., a registered company authorized by NAFDAC to produce and sell the product in Nigeria. The company’s operations have been certified by NAFDAC for meeting the requirements of good manufacturing practice (GMP) and relevant Nigerian industrial standards (NIS).
NAFDAC reassured the public that Golden Penny Semovita, along with all other registered semolina products, is safe for human consumption, having received approval from the agency based on science-driven regulatory scrutiny. Consumers need not be concerned as approved products are manufactured in accordance with GMP and in compliance
with Nigerian industrial standards, which are continually monitored by NAFDAC.
The agency urged the public to exercise caution when using social media to address any suspicions regarding regulated products, as resorting to social media can generate fear and panic.
