The Consumer Protection Council (CPC) has raised an alarm over poisonous beans sold available in the Nigerian markets.
According to CPC, the beans are being preserved with poisonous substance called 2.2-dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate (DDVP) compound, popularly known as Sniper.
Consumers are therefore advised to wash and parboil their beans thoroughly before consumption.
The information was given by the director-general of CPC, Babatunde Irukera, in a press statement on Friday.
“In any and every case, thoroughly washing food items before consumption or preparation for consumption is a generally accepted method of protecting and promoting safety.
“CPC has recently confirmed credible information that retailers, mostly in the open market, are using a pesticide to preserve beans.
“They use 2.2-dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate (DDVP) compound, otherwise marketed and known as Sniper, to preserve beans, and more particularly to eliminate or protect from weevils.”
The DG noted also that the agency was already collaborating with other relevant regulators to bring the situation under control.
Sniper, according to the CPC boss, is a chemical composition and nature, which is potentially injurious when human beings are “unduly exposed by inhalation, absorption, direct skin contact or ingestion.”