Osun Govt Warns Against Use of Hypo to Process Gaari, Fufu

By Dipo Olowookere

The Osun State government has warned residents of the state, especially caterers and food vendors to desist from using a popular bleaching product, Hypo, to process gaari and fufu, both local food derived from cassava.

The state government, at a press conference in Osogbo, the state capital on Wednesday, said the use of the bleaching product to process food was very dangerous to human health.

At the briefing addressed by both the Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Health, Pharmacist Siji Olamiju, and the Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs Funke Egbemode, government said the bleaching detergent could badly affect vital organs of the body such as the liver, kidneys, heart and the small intestines, when mixed with food items.

The state government further called on caterers and food vendors in the state to stop the dangerous act of using paracetamol to tenderise meat.

It was stated some food vendors use Hypo for cassava processing to induce ‘whiteness of fufu and gaari.’ But government said anyone caught would be severely dealt with.

It noted that efforts would be made to monitor compliance to keep residents of the state safe.