The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) has cautioned locals about the increasingly complex techniques used to adulterate palm oil, advising buyers to exercise caution when making purchases.

In order to shield customers from dangerous and inferior palm oil, the agency also claimed to have increased market surveillance throughout the state.

Lagosians were advised by LASCOPA General Manager Afolabi Solebo to exercise caution and report suspected contaminated palm oil and dishonest sellers via the organization's proper channels.

As part of its efforts to safeguard consumers throughout the state, Solebo stated that the agency would keep stepping up market surveillance.

The warning came after Dr. Nurah Oseni, a Senior Lecturer in Auchi Polytechnic's Department of Food Technology, gave a presentation at the Lagos State Food Safety Conference and Exhibition 2026.

Oseni gave a talk titled "Palm Oil Adulteration: Emerging Risks, Detection Strategies, and Regulatory Control."

Dr. Oseni claims that due of its high trading volume, customers' perception of deep red as a sign of quality, price disparities, unofficial market activities, and difficulties in identifying sophisticated adulterants, palm oil is especially susceptible to adulteration.

The use of potentially carcinogenic Sudan and Azo dyes to change colour, blending with recovered or recycled oils, including used cooking oil, and multi-adulterant mixes intended to avoid simple quality checks are just a few of the rising concerns she uncovered.

Concerns about digital and traceability fraud, such as forged product labels and batch records, were also brought up by the researcher, who emphasised the necessity of more robust monitoring and enhanced detection systems throughout the supply chain.

Source