My journey in the quest for data on food hazards in the Informal Sector

By Folasade Oladiti (Graduate Research Fellow at IITA under the FS4Africa project)

The first step towards solving a problem is knowing there is a problem and how much of a problem there is. Food hazards pose a major problem, and according to the African Union, are responsible for about 91 million cases of foodborne diseases in Africa yearly. I wanted to know how much of a problem food hazards pose. My journey investigating food toxicants began with a question: Are the foods we buy in our informal markets safe?

When people think about food safety, their minds often go to hygiene ratings in restaurants or expiry dates on packaged goods. These are important, but what about ready-to-eat street food, food sold in small, open-air market stalls, and food not tagged with a barcode or expiry dates? These are sold to multiple people daily in the informal sector and are the heartbeat of the vibrant, essential informal food sector in multiple African countries.

This led me into the informal food systems of Oyo State, Nigeria, and what I discovered underscored the urgent need to generate evidence to ensure safer food. The informal sector plays a significant role in food processing and supply across Africa, particularly in rural and peri-urban areas. Yet, when we look at national food safety frameworks, regulations, and data systems, this sector barely features. A lot of the food safety management systems address formal supply chains, where data is easier to collect and systems are more standardized.

As a student and researcher, I set out to seek data and understand the risks posed to public health from multiple contaminants. I focused on contaminants such as fungi, mycotoxins, pesticide residues, and heavy metals, in common food products traded in informal settings in Oyo state. Markets and processing points in Saki, Ogbomoso, Oyo, and Ibadan are bustling with yams, cassava, and plantain products— staples that fuel our daily diets in Oyo State. Therefore, I investigated these crops for their safety. I collected samples from informal actors and analysed them for microbiological and chemical quality.

From my studies, I am discovering that connected to each sample is a story; a story that needs to be told concerning the incidence of fungi, mycotoxins, and pesticide residues. A story linked to suboptimal processing, storage, and improper application of pesticides. The data generated provides a basis for understanding these risks and generating evidence that can lead to them being addressed.

My postgraduate research project has solidified my belief that evidence generation is not about satisfying academic curiosity alone but is also a public health necessity. By documenting the incidence and level of contamination of food contaminants, I am contributing to providing policymakers, communities, and food system actors the data resource needed to design appropriate policies, training, or consumer education. We need to invest in tools, partnerships, and systems that can generate real, actionable data from these spaces.

My journey in the quest for food safety evidence is far from over. But through this project, I have seen and learned this: if we want inclusive, safe, and resilient food systems, we must shine a light on the parts of the system that have remained in the shadows for too long. And it starts with evidence. My journey is one of many, but together, we can build the evidence that drives change.

Food safety isn’t just about what we eat — it’s about the systems, stories, and science behind it. The informal food sector is dominant in our communities; therefore, ignoring them is not an option.