Social media forces CPC to probe Blue Band
News & Trends •
butter and margarine share a particular similar characteristic low resistance to heat and as such both are likely to melt when subjected to certain levels of heat1 following a viral video that patrayed blue band as unsafe the consumer protection council cpc says it has opened an inquiry into aspects of blue band products1 the cpc director general mr babatunde irukera said this in a statement issued by the organisation on sunday in abuja1 he said that the purpose of the inquiry was to ensure that the products differentiated or otherwise were safe and subjected to proper processes and in-trade handling consistent with the different properties and characteristics of each product1 this is in reaction to a short demonstration video on social media showing how blue band spread for bread reacts under certain heat conditions1 he said that the video or the impression it conveyed had become the subject of anxiety and intense controversy1 it suggests that the product which the narrator considers a functional equivalent of blue band original is unsafe because when subjected to high temperature in boiling water it did not melt or dissolve1 available scientific information confirms that though butter margarine and spread appear similar and share similar components in characteristics and uses they are different products available to consumers1 it stated that the inquiry would determine product safety and clarify some aspects of the manufacturers statements on blue band spread for bread1 irukera however said that spreads had varying heat resistance depending on intended use and production process1 he said that as a result it could not be necessarily unsafe that a spread does not melt under similar heat conditions as butter or margarine1 he said spreads were produced in part by adding emulsifiers which were additives used in stabilizing and binding processed foods1 they are not inherently unsafe or uncommon. the specific emulsifying agent and amount used largely depends on many factors including shelf life storage handling and climatic conditions in order to prevent microbial activity1 irukera said that the manufacturer of the product had made a statement seeking to address public concern by differentiating its products and explaining the purposes of the two different products1 he also said that the organisation would continue to collaborate with the national agency for food drug administration and control nafdac and the standards organisation of nigeria son regarding applicable safety standards of butter and margarine1 he added that consumption of butter margarine or spreads generally are not unsafe1