The Federal Ministry of Health has certified Coca-Cola products manufactured in Nigeria safe for consumption.
The Ministry stated this on Friday in a statement by its Director, Media and Public Relations Mrs Akinola Boade on behalf of the Minister after a meeting with the Department of Food and Drug Services, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) following a recent court order.
A Lagos High Court in its judgement on a case filed by Fijabi Holdings and another versus Nigeria Bottling Company and NAFDAC ruled that Fanta and Sprite when taken with Vitamin C is poisonous.
It asked NAFDAC to compel the Nigerian Bottling Company, makers of Coca-Cola products to include a warning label warning consumers not to take Fanta and Sprite with Vitamin C.
However the Ministry after the meeting with the concerned agencies said a routine inspection conducted at Nigeria Bottling Company by NAFDAC officers in December, 2016 which was satisfactory
It stated that risk assessment was conducted to ascertain maximum limits of food additives acceptable in foods.
The assessment takes into consideration the environmental, storage and distribution conditions as well as the shelf life of food products, while NAFDAC and SON regularly monitor the manufacturing practices of Food industries and conduct laboratory analysis to ascertain continuous compliance with required national standards.