Food Scientist Warns Against Detergent, Kerosene in Fufu Processing

“You Won’t Know”: Food Scientist Reveals Hidden Risks in Fufu Processing

By Charity Uwakwe

A Food Scientist has warned fufu processors and consumers against using detergent and kerosene during processing, saying remnants may remain in the finished product and may not be detectable by sight, smell or taste.

NDORO OBORO, Abia State — A Food Scientist with the National Root Crops Research Institute, Chukwudi Ogbete, has warned fufu processors and consumers against the use of substances such as detergent and kerosene during fufu processing, saying remnants of the substances can remain in the finished product.

The warning has raised concerns over a hidden food safety risk that consumers may not easily detect, as contaminated fufu could look, smell and taste normal despite the presence of harmful substances.

Ogbete gave the warning while speaking at the 2026 Women Conference of Deeper Life Bible Church, Ikwuano Region, held at Ndoro Oboro in Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State.

He spoke on “What Women Should Know About Fufu Processing and Food Safety,” where he educated participants on food safety concerns associated with the processing and consumption of fufu.

According to him, some fufu processors add substances such as detergent to cassava during processing because they believe it helps the fufu soften faster.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with famousreporters.com, he described the practice as harmful and urged processors involved in it to stop.

Ogbete also advised consumers who buy fufu from markets to be cautious about where they purchase the product and, where possible, patronise trusted vendors.

He said the issue came to the attention of researchers during a research project conducted in Imo State about two years ago.

According to him, the research was part of an RTD Foods project, during which researchers gave cassava to farmers and asked them to process it into fufu using their normal local methods.

The objective, he explained, was partly to determine whether differences in the quality of fufu were linked to cassava varieties or the processing methods used by farmers and processors.

Ogbete said researchers observed some processors adding detergent and, in another case, kerosene during processing.

«“When we asked them why they were adding these substances, they said that was how they produced fufu in their communities,” he said.»

He explained that some of the processors admitted knowing that the substances were not good, while others said they were unaware of the potential consequences.

According to Ogbete, some processors believed the substances would disappear during processing and therefore would not pose a danger to consumers.

However, he said researchers subsequently conducted laboratory investigations to determine whether the substances were completely eliminated during processing.

Ogbete said the findings showed that the substances did not completely disappear, with remnants still detected after processing.

He further explained that detecting such contamination through ordinary sensory examination could be difficult.

According to him, researchers produced fufu using the same practices they had observed and subjected the samples to sensory evaluation.

The panellists, he said, could not detect the contamination through their senses.

«“That is exactly how it is in the market. You go to the market, buy fufu, and you will not know that such has been used to produce it,” he said.»

The revelation underscores the difficulty consumers may face in identifying contaminated fufu simply by looking at or tasting the product.

Ogbete noted that researchers were able to identify the practice because they had directly observed the processors adding the substances during the research.

He therefore urged fufu processors to adopt safe processing practices and advised consumers to be more careful about the sources of the food products they purchase.

He stressed the importance of following safe food-processing methods to protect consumers from avoidable food safety risks.