Nigerian woman, Sola Salako Ajulo, has brought attention to a potentially hazardous situation involving the Haano Brand of Mackerel in tomato sauce.
The complaint arises from her recent purchase at ShopRite Ikeja City Mall in December, which took a grim turn when she discovered burst cans filled with maggots upon cleaning out her pantry.
Detailing her distressing experience, Salako Ajulo shared, “I bought this mackerel brand from ShopRite Ikeja City Mall sometime in December and kept them in my pantry. Production date states 05/08/2021, and the expiration date stamp is 05/08/2024. Cleaning out the pantry today, we found some tins have burst, and maggots filled the whole package!”
Ajulo raised alarms after discovering burst cans maggots in the product. She demanded investigation into import, distribution and approval process.
Expressing concerns over the safety of the product, Salako Ajulo raised important questions, “Who imported this Haano Brand of Mackerel in tomato sauce? Who is distributing them? Who approved them for consumption in Nigeria? The tins are oozing as if gas is unsettled in them. Sounds like more may burst sef.”
The consumer advocate highlighted the unusual circumstances surrounding the incident, questioning, “How does a canned product expected to expire in 8 months just burst and grow maggots? It just doesn’t add up. How?”
Issuing a public warning, Salako Ajulo urged consumers to exercise caution, stating, “Please beware of this Haano Brand of Mackerel in Tomato sauce. (Buyer beware)” The call for awareness was extended to regulatory bodies, including CPC Nigeria, Shoprite, NAFDAC, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Lascopa, and Afolabi Solebo, imploring them to investigate the matter thoroughly.
This revelation has sparked concerns about the quality control processes in place for imported food products and calls for a comprehensive investigation into the entire supply chain of Haano Brand Mackerel in tomato sauce.
As consumers await answers, this incident serves as a reminder of the importance of stringent measures to ensure the safety and quality of food products in the Nigerian market.
Meanwhile, in a post on her Facebook page this morning, Ajulo confirmed the company has replied to her complaint with a promise to begin investigation Monday next week.
“Re: Haano Mackerel Saga: Update
I just received a response from Deekay Industries, the brand owners of Hana’s Mackerel.
They promised to get in touch to investigate the incident by Monday.
Good progress,”she wrote.