Lagos residents are increasingly avoiding commercially produced fufu, citing concerns about processing practices that include alleged detergent use and the presence of foreign objects, according to interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Residents Share Disturbing Findings
One resident told NAN she found a piece of rubber inside a portion of fufu she had purchased, an experience she described as a turning point that led her family to begin making the staple themselves. Another resident, a long-time consumer, said he now sources fufu from outside Lagos entirely, stating, "I would rather source it from outside Lagos because I no longer trust how it is prepared here."
These accounts reflect a broader wariness among consumers who question the hygiene and safety of fufu sold in open markets across the city. The staple, also known as akpu or santana, is made from fermented cassava that is soaked for days, blended, strained, and cooked into a smooth dough.
Health Risks of Improper Processing
The fermentation process is critical not only for achieving the desired texture but also for removing naturally occurring toxins in cassava. Residents told NAN that inadequately processed cassava, which has not been properly fermented, can retain cyanogenic compounds that are harmful when consumed, making preparation a genuine health issue rather than just a matter of taste.
Some producers in Lagos are reportedly cutting corners at multiple stages of the process, with some batches sitting unsold for extended periods due to poor preparation and others showing signs of contaminated or rushed processing.
Mixed Standards Among Producers
However, not all producers are negligent. A fufu processor at Santana International in Oyingbo told NAN that cassava at her facility is peeled, thoroughly washed with clean water, and soaked for approximately two days before processing, suggesting that proper standards do exist among some producers.
Residents acknowledge this, with several noting that trustworthy producers are still out there but harder to find. "We still have good processors, but they are few. Everyone should be sure of what they consume," one Agege resident told NAN.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) does not have direct regulatory oversight over unbranded palm oil, fufu, and other staple foods packaged and sold in open markets. The Lagos State Government had not issued any response or advisory on fufu processing standards at the time of writing.
