The Lagos State Government, through the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA), has warned residents against consuming spoiled or fungus-infested tomatoes, popularly known as “Ata Esha,” due to the serious health risks associated with such products.
The General Manager of the Agency, Afolabi Solebo, advised consumers to avoid buying or eating tomatoes with visible white, green, or black fungal growth.
According to Solebo, fungi found on spoiled tomatoes can produce harmful toxins, including aflatoxins, which may cause severe health complications such as liver damage and other related diseases.
Speaking on the importance of healthy food consumption, Solebo stated that “a healthy person is determined by what he or she consumes from time to time.”
He explained that cooking, boiling, or frying contaminated tomatoes may not remove the harmful toxins, making them unsafe for consumption.
He further cautioned residents against purchasing spoiled tomatoes simply because they are cheaper, stressing that health and safety should always come first.
The LASCOPA boss encouraged consumers to carefully inspect food items before purchase and avoid visibly spoiled or mouldy tomatoes and other food products.
He also advised residents to properly dispose of contaminated food items and report the sale of unsafe, expired, or spoiled products to the relevant government agencies responsible for public health and consumer protection.
Solebo added that government monitoring and enforcement teams have been deployed to markets across Lagos State to apprehend traders involved in the sale of unsafe food products.