Jadida vegetable oil declared unwholesome

The quality standards agency (anor) is accused of having issued a certificate of conformity to this product consumed by the masses. The product is said to have physico-chemical parameters which does not comply with the mandatory standard, since 2011.

Since December, the association of oil seeds refiners of Cameroon (asroc) reported the presence of this oil on the market, (vegetable oil refined soy stamped "jadida"), noting that it was non-compliant with the norm 77 2002-03 rev.1 (2011) relative to vegetable oils with a specific name enriched with vitamin A.

This is, according to the professional body, in total violation of the joint decree no. 2366 moh/minimidt/mincommerce of august 24, 2011, making this standard mandatory, and on the basis of a false certificate of conformity to the standard on margarine and mayonnaise (certificate of conformity n ° 00078/2014/dg/dac/msp of 06 june 2014).

It is worth noting that this vegetable oil, deemed unfit for consumption, is imported by Coppeq Sarl which, curiously, received a certificate of conformity from Anor (n ° 00078 dated june 06, 2014), led by Charles Booto à Ngon.

Obviously, to lure consumers, Coppeq Sarl brought up an advertising spot that highlights with the image of a lady frying with the said oil – to support the fact that this oil is suitable for cooking, frying and seasoning.

On the other hand, through a talk on the use of vegetable oils before the press 27th December 2014 and 10th February 2015 in Yaoundé, Jacquis Kemleu Tchabgou, secretary general of asroc, highlighted on the information contained on the package through the local media.

"This advertising is misleading as soybean oil has a content of ?-linolenic acid ? 2% and can therefore, be only a seasoning oil and this reference must be given on the label of the packaging in accordance with article 9-1-5 of standard nc 77 2002-03, rev. 1 (2011)", he said.

Further more, the SG explained, " soya oil, because of this content of ?-linolenic acid ? 2%, and in the absence of the information ' seasoning oil ' on the label of its packaging, should not be used for cooking and frying, because when it rises in temperature, it becomes carcinogenic and endangers the health of consumers."

In other words, and according to the head of the asroc, the oil presented through advertising in the media in recent months is "intended only for seasoning.

In a statement to the press in January, Jacquis Kemleu Tchabgou said that "the certificate of conformity refers to the norms 77 2002-03 standard extensionless rev 1 (2011), non-revised and not alluding to enrichment in vitamin a, by joint order no. 2366/moh/minimidt/mincommerce of march 24, 2011 rendered mandatory.