A popular snack enjoyed by millions of Nigerians could be at the centre of a disturbing food safety concern, following allegations that some small-scale producers are using melted plastic bags in frying oil to make plantain chips unusually crunchy and extend their shelf life.
Plantain chips are widely consumed across Nigeria because they are affordable, convenient and readily available in markets, schools, motor parks and roadside stalls. However, mounting economic pressures and rising production costs are raising questions about the lengths to which some informal food vendors may go to keep their businesses profitable.
An investigation by Economy & Lifestyle found that the alleged practice is linked to the struggle among some snack producers to reduce production costs, maintain profit margins and meet consumer demand for products that remain crunchy for extended periods.
The cost of a crunch
Running a small-scale food business in Nigeria has become increasingly challenging as the prices of essential production materials, including vegetable oil, cooking gas and raw plantains, continue to put pressure on operators.
For vendors such as Halima Mohammed, who operates a roadside frying business, the challenge is balancing rising expenses with customers’ limited purchasing power.
She explained that increasing the price of a small pack of plantain chips from ₦200 to ₦400 could drive away customers, particularly students and low-income consumers.
“If I increase the price of a small pack from ₦200 to ₦400, the students will walk away.
“People don’t have money. So, vendors look for shortcuts to make the oil last longer and keep the chips from getting soggy in humidity,” she said.
One of the alleged shortcuts involves placing polyethylene plastic bags in hot frying oil, where the material melts and mixes with the oil.
Some accounts suggest that plantain slices fried in such oil develop an unusually hard, glossy and crispy coating that makes them appear fresher for longer.
The practice has raised serious food safety concerns because plastic materials are not approved food additives, and heating them in cooking oil can release potentially harmful substances.
A culture of survival and economic pressure
Within Nigeria’s informal food business sector, economic hardship has created an environment in which some entrepreneurs are increasingly under pressure to prioritise survival over established safety standards.
For many micro-entrepreneurs, the struggle to remain profitable is compounded by high energy costs, unreliable electricity supply and limited access to affordable financing.
Osaro Jimoh, a distributor who supplies packaged plantain chips to roadside vendors, said the market places a premium on products that retain their crispness for extended periods.
According to him, vendors supplying motorists and other consumers in traffic prefer snacks that can withstand prolonged exposure to heat and humidity without becoming soft.
“The boys selling in traffic need chips that stay crunchy under the hot sun for days. If the chips go soft, the motorists will throw them back at us. Nobody asks how the crunch is made; they just want the crunch.
“I don’t know the preservative used to achieve such crunchiness,” he said.
His comments highlight the commercial pressure surrounding the production and distribution of packaged snacks, although they do not independently establish that plastic additives are being used by the suppliers.
For consumers who depend on inexpensive snacks during long commutes and busy working days, the possibility of contamination presents a significant public health concern.
Food safety experts warn that heating plastic materials can release chemical substances that may contaminate food. Depending on the type of plastic, temperature and duration of heating, exposure to these substances could pose health risks.
The regulatory challenge
The alleged use of plastic materials in food preparation also raises questions about food safety monitoring and regulatory enforcement in Nigeria’s largely informal food sector.
Millions of small-scale food businesses operate from roadside stalls, residential kitchens and unregistered production facilities, making routine inspection and enforcement particularly challenging.
Although regulatory agencies have responsibilities for monitoring food production and protecting consumers, reaching every informal operator remains a significant challenge.
Public health advocate Dr. Duro Ifagbemi warned that the potential consequences of unsafe food preparation practices should not be ignored.
“We are looking at a ticking time bomb of gastrointestinal complications and cancer cases,” he warned.
“But you cannot solve a public health crisis without addressing the economic reality.
“When people are starving, long-term health risks feel invisible compared to immediate poverty.”
His comments underscore the need to address both consumer protection and the economic conditions confronting small-scale food producers.
Surviving at all costs
Mohammed, however, denied using plastic materials in her frying business, although she acknowledged that the difficult economic environment was pushing some operators towards questionable practices.
“Nigeria makes entrepreneurs out of necessity, not out of choice.
“When the government makes it impossible to do business cleanly, people will find a way to survive in the dirt,” she said.
Her comments reflect the difficult choices confronting many informal entrepreneurs as they struggle with rising production costs and shrinking consumer purchasing power.
However, economic hardship does not make the use of potentially harmful substances in food preparation acceptable.
Plastic materials are not safe substitutes for approved food ingredients, and consumers should be cautious about products suspected of being prepared with melted plastic.
Addressing the problem will require stronger food safety monitoring, public awareness, support for small-scale food producers and access to affordable, safe production alternatives.
Until these challenges are addressed, concerns surrounding the safety of everyday snacks such as plantain chips will remain an important public health issue.
