Lagos residents have raised concerns over the alleged unhygienic preparation and preservation of fufu, with one consumer claiming she witnessed a processor use detergent to wash cassava.
The residents, who spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos, said their experiences had made them increasingly cautious about buying ready-to-eat fufu.
Some said they had reduced their consumption of the popular cassava staple, while others now prepare it at home or source it from outside Lagos.
Fufu, also known as akpu or santana, is produced from fermented cassava. The cassava is peeled, soaked, ground, filtered and cooked into a smooth dough.
Ajegunle resident, Omena Udonwa, said her family stopped relying heavily on commercially prepared fufu after she encountered what she described as disturbing practices.
Udonwa alleged that she once found a piece of rubber inside fufu she had bought and also witnessed a processor washing cassava with detergent.
“I saw a piece of rubber inside a fufu I bought recently and, if not for my vigilance, I would have consumed it.
“I once saw a producer who used detergent to wash the cassava and saw nothing wrong with what they did,” she said.
She said the experiences prompted her family to start making their own fufu to have greater control over the preparation process.
A Costain resident, Adedayo Falade, said he loved fufu because it gave him the energy needed for hard labour but had become uncomfortable with the way some processors handled the food.
According to him, some poorly processed fufu could become sticky and develop an unpleasant smell, while some portions allegedly remain on sale for several days.
“I rarely eat fufu now. Some fufu stays for days and even weeks on sale without patronage due to poor preparation methods.
“In spite of my love for fufu, I would rather source it from outside Lagos because I no longer trust how it is prepared here,” he said.
Falade alleged that some processors were willing to compromise good practices in pursuit of profit.
Another resident of Agege, Anuoluwapo Ayeni, however, said not all processors should be treated with suspicion, urging consumers to pay attention to where they buy their fufu.
She said consumers should make efforts to know how the food was sourced and prepared in order to reduce possible health risks.
At Santana International, White Sand, Oyingbo, a fufu processor, Hope Aniekan, explained that traditional processing involved several stages before the product reached consumers.
She said cassava was peeled and thoroughly washed with clean water before being soaked for about two days.
The cassava, she explained, was then taken to a mill, ground and filtered to remove unwanted particles.
According to Aniekan, the resulting paste was put in a sack, covered with plantain leaves and pressed with a heavy stone.
“We adopt the traditional procedures in processing our fufu here. Our fufu can be trusted and our customers can attest to it.
“We only make use of salt in our fufu as a means of preservation to prevent the infestation of maggots.
“No other harmful additives are in our fufu, but I can only speak for myself. I don’t know how others process theirs,” she said.
Aniekan added that she had heard claims of some processors using substances to accelerate fermentation, but stressed that she could only speak for her own operation.
Another fufu trader at Costain, known simply as Mama Chinonso, said she used a warmer rather than chemical additives to preserve her product.
She said the method could keep the fufu fresh for about three days during hot weather and up to one week during colder periods.
“I don’t add anything to preserve my fufu for long. When I am supplied, I simply keep it in my warmer to maintain its freshness,” she said.
While some processors insist they follow traditional methods, the concerns raised by consumers have put the spotlight on the preparation, preservation and handling of one of Nigeria’s popular staple foods.
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