National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has debunked reports that Golden Penny Semovita contains plastic materials.
Gatekeepers News reports that NAFDAC debunked this in response to a social media video which showed a woman washing Golden Penny Semovita in a sieve with water.
After the washing process was done, an elastic residue remained which the woman claimed was plastic.
The agency in a statement on Monday, said a similar video was shown in 2020 which led to an emergency post-marketing analysis using different brands of Semolina.
It stated that upon conducting analytical testing, results showed that there was no plastic or any similar harmful contaminants in Golden Penny Semovita.
The statement read, “NAFDAC, therefore, wishes to inform the general public that the claim in the social media video assertions is misleading.”
The agency explained that semolina contains gluten which is made up of two classes of proteins — glutenin and gliadin.
The agency said glutenin normally gives bread dough the ability to rise during baking while gliadin provides viscous and elastic properties, or simply makes it extensible and elastic.
According to NAFDAC, this property of gliadin is the rubbery, plastic-like appearance that was exhibited in the video.
It added that Semolina has no plastic content in it but only exhibits viscous and elastic properties.
NAFDAC said, “The rubbery-like material that was observed in the video after many washings with water is the gluten that formed after the gluten-forming proteins get mixed with water.
“Golden Penny Semovita is manufactured by Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc., a registered company which has been granted marketing authorisation by NAFDAC to manufacture the product and offer it for sale in Nigeria. The company’s operations were certified by NAFDAC after meeting the requirements of good manufacturing practice (GMP) and the relevant Nigerian industrial standards (NIS).
“NAFDAC wishes to reassure the public that Golden Penny Semovita and indeed all other semolina products registered by the Agency are safe for human consumption having been so approved by the Agency, following science-driven regulatory diligence.
“There is no cause for apprehension by consumers as such approved products are manufactured in line with Good manufacturing practice (GMP) and in compliance with the Nigerian industrial standards, which are continuously monitored by NAFDAC.
“Members of the public are implored to exercise discretion in the use of social media to address any suspicion they may have on regulated products. Resorting to social media has the tendency to cause fear and panic.”
