The NAFDAC Tomato Mix Regulations 2025 establish requirements for the manufacture, import, export, advertisement, sale, and distribution of tomato mix products in Nigeria.
Key content:
1. Scope and Ingredients
o Applies only to tomato mix, not to tomato sauce, ketchup, or dried tomatoes;
o Essential ingredients: tomato concentrate, sodium chloride, dietary fibre;
o Optional ingredients (limited by Good Manufacturing Practice) include starches,
acidulants, sugars, thickening agents, flavour enhancers, antioxidants, and approved colourings.
2. Quality and Safety Standards
o Tomato mix must have good flavour, odour, homogenous texture, and be free from
peels, seeds, or extraneous matter;
o Specific physicochemical standards include pH < 4.6, minimum 7% natural tomato
solids, maximum 1.5% sodium chloride, and limits for ash and acidity;
o Sets maximum limits for microbiological contaminants (e.g., absence of Salmonella, E. coli), heavy metals (e.g., Pb ≤ 1.0 mg/kg), and mycotoxins (e.g.,
total aflatoxins ≤ 10 ppb).
3. Labelling and Packaging
o Must comply with Pre-packaged Food Labelling Regulations;
o Label must declare the percentage of Natural Tomato Soluble Solids (NTSS);
o Differentiates between "Tomato Mix" (without spices) and "Tomato Mix Seasoning"
(with spices/flavours);
o Packaging must prevent leaching and microbial contamination.
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Prohibitions and Registration
o Tomato mix cannot be manufactured, imported, or sold without registration by
NAFDAC.
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Offences and Penalties
o Individuals: imprisonment up to 1 year or fine up to ₦800,000 (or both);
o Corporate bodies: fines up to ₦5,000,000;
o Directors, managers, or officers of offending companies may be held personally
liable;
o Convicted persons forfeit assets or property derived from the offence.
6. Enforcement and Miscellaneous
o NAFDAC is the enforcing agency;
o Provides definitions (e.g., tomato concentrate, tomato mix) and citations.
The regulation ensures that tomato mix products in Nigeria meet strict ingredient standards, quality specifications, safety limits, and labelling requirements, while also enforcing mandatory registration and penalties to protect consumer health and promote fair trade.