Nestle reacts to allegation of adding sugar to infant formulas in Nigeria

Nestle Nigeria, a subsidiary of Nestle, a world meals and beverage firm, has denied including sugar to its merchandise bought in Nigeria, insisting it isn’t violating the worldwide tips for toddler formulation.

This was contained in an announcement issued on Thursday and shared with PREMIUM TIMES by the corporate’s Head of Company Communications, Victoria Uwadoka.

Nestle Nigeria, a subsidiary of the Swiss-based multinational firm, stated it complies with the worldwide necessities on the utilization of sugar and provides high quality merchandise to each a part of the world.

The corporate’s assertion is in response to an earlier inquiry by PREMIUM TIMES on the event. Ms Uwadoka had requested {that a} mail be despatched by our reporter and pledged a response as quickly as attainable, saying she was distant from the workplace.

Denial

The assertion counters the findings of a latest investigation, which revealed that Nestle had been promoting substandard toddler meals merchandise to Nigeria and different low and middle-income international locations.

The investigation, carried out by the Public Eye, a Swiss investigative organisation, in collaboration with the Worldwide Child Meals Motion Community, revealed that Nestle gives its highest quality to Europe and different developed nations however provides substandard merchandise to low- and middle-income international locations the world over.

“For Nestlé, not all infants are equal with regards to added sugar,” the report stated.

Samples of Nestle’s child meals merchandise bought in Asia, Africa, and Latin America had been despatched to Belgium for laboratory testing.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported a number of the findings which considerably concerned Nigeria.

Sugar in Nigeria Cerelac

Traces of sugar, similar to sucrose or honey, had been present in samples of Cerelac, a cereal for kids between six months and two years outdated, and Nido, a follow-up milk method model supposed for infants not less than one 12 months outdated.

Reacting to those claims, Nestle Nigeria stated the multinational firm offered the identical diet, well being, and wellness ideas in every single place on this planet.

In line with the corporate, Cerelac could have slight variations in recipes worldwide.

It additionally stated, “In Europe, Nestlé’s vary of cereals comes with and with out added sugars.

“ Like in every single place on this planet, in Nigeria, we don’t add sugars (sucrose and glucose) to Toddler method for kids aged 0-12 months.

It stated, “These ideas are aligned with each worldwide and native tips, noting that child formulation in Nigeria for kids 0-12 don’t add sugar contents. Nigeria, our Rising Up Milk don’t have any added sugars.

“Our milk and cereals for younger youngsters are fortified with nutritional vitamins and minerals similar to iron to assist deal with malnutrition.”

Excessive sugar in Nigeria’s Cerelac

Cerelac from Nigeria had the second-highest sugar content material, with 6.8g per serving. The nation carefully follows the Philippines, which has 7.3g.

The report stated, “On common, our evaluation discovered nearly 4 grams per serving or about one sugar dice.”

Nigeria was ranked seventh out of 10 international locations with excessive sugar content material in Nido. In line with the report, samples from Nigeria and Senegal, ranked eighth, had 0.6g.

The very best sugar content material was present in Panama samples, at 5.3g per serving. Then got here Nicaragua 4.7g; Mexico 1.8g; Costa Rica 1.6g; South Africa 0.9g; and Indonesia 0.7g.