The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued a public alert regarding the widespread illegal distribution and sale of a counterfeit version of a popular creamer.
Ginny Non-Dairy Creamer is widely used across Nigeria, particularly in the northern regions. However, NAFDAC warned on Wednesday that a counterfeit creamer with the same name is being widely distributed all over Nigeria.
Across Nigeria, non-dairy creamer is commonly used as a substitute for milk powder or to reduce the amount of milk in beverages and baked goods.
According to the NAFDAC notice titled, “Public Alert No. 022/2024 – Illegal Distribution and Sale of Falsified Brand of Ginny Non-Diary Creamer in Nigeria”, the product became the focus of NAFDAC’s attention due to the discovery of multiple irregularities and non-compliances.
The notice says, “The product is widely distributed and sold across the country, particularly in the northern part of Nigeria due to its high demand.
“Non-dairy creamer is a concoction of many food additives known as coffee creamer or whitener. It is used in food as a substitute for milk powder or to lessen the amount of milk in beverages, including coffee, tea, oatmeal, hot chocolate, and baked goods.
The falsified brands of Ginny Non-dairy Creamer have been observed to be lagged with several labelling irregularities indicating non-compliance with NAFDAC’s Pre-Packaged Food Labelling Guidelines.”
NADFAC added that the falsified Ginny Non-Dairy Creamer products exhibited several critical discrepancies when compared to genuine batches.
These irregularities included ambiguous labeling on the type of creamer, misleading product names and images, absence of NAFDAC registration numbers, and unclear net weight specifications.
Specifically, the agency listed five discrepancies between the genuine and fake products of the same brand name.
List of discrepancies.
- Type of ‘Creamer’ not specified: It is not clearly stated whether the product is Diary or Non-diary.
- Product Name: The term ‘Milky’ is indicative of milk ingredients but this is contradictory to the actual product content.
- Pictorial Representation: Images of Cows are misleading as the ingredients do not include a diary.
- Absence of NAFDAC Reg. No: This unregistered product does not comply with the regulatory provisions. The safety and quality of the product is not guaranteed.
- Net Weight: The net weight indicated as ‘±35g’ is ambiguous.
NAFDAC has directed all its zonal directors and state coordinators to conduct rigorous surveillance and remove the counterfeit Ginny Creamer products from circulation.
The agency also urged distributors, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers to exercise heightened caution and vigilance throughout the supply chain.
NAFDAC called on the public to report any suspected cases of illegal distribution, sale, or consumption of falsified Ginny Creamer products to the nearest NAFDAC office or through designated communication channels.
Reports can be made via a toll-free hotline, email, or through the agency’s official website: on 0800-162-3322 or via email at sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng.
The agency advised healthcare professionals and consumers to report any adverse effects related to the use of NAFDAC-regulated products to facilitate prompt regulatory action.
The agency reaffirmed its commitment to protecting public health and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards, emphasizing its customer-focused approach in safeguarding the integrity of packaged food products and other regulated items in Nigeria.
