By Mary Onyia
The Lagos State Government has cautioned residents about increasingly sophisticated adulteration of palm oil, with experts raising concerns about the use of potentially carcinogenic Sudan and Azo dyes to change its color. The warning was issued by the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) following a technical presentation at the 2026 Lagos State Food Safety Conference and Exhibition.
Dr. Nurah Oseni, a senior lecturer in the Department of Food Technology at Auchi Polytechnic, stated that adulterators are also mixing palm oil with recovered or recycled oils, including spent cooking oil, and some use combinations of adulterants designed to evade basic checks. She explained that palm oil is especially vulnerable because many consumers associate a deep-red color with quality, making color manipulation an effective way to deceive buyers.
Oseni recommended that consumers perform simple visual checks as a first step. Genuine palm oil may naturally separate into layers, with the bottom layer appearing orange to red-yellowish rather than a uniform deep red. However, she emphasized that appearance alone cannot confirm adulteration, and a water test also cannot definitively determine if the oil is adulterated. Accurate confirmation requires scientific testing, including laboratory analysis.
To prevent being scammed, consumers should buy from trusted and identifiable sellers, be cautious of oil with an unusually uniform or artificially intense color, and avoid products offered at suspiciously low prices. Buyers should also refrain from relying solely on home tests as proof of safety and, where possible, keep the seller’s details and receipts or other proof of purchase in case the product is later found to be unsafe. The expert also identified falsified labels and batch records as tracing risks.
LASCOPA’s General Manager/CEO, Afolabi Solebo, advised Lagosians to “shine their eyes” and report suspected adulterated palm oil and dishonest traders through the agency’s official channels. He mentioned that market surveillance has been heightened across the state and warned that anyone caught selling adulterated palm oil would be arrested and prosecuted under the law.