Study Reveals Dangerous Methanol Levels and Fake Labels in Mokolo Market Alcoholic Drinks
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Study Reveals Dangerous Methanol Levels and Fake Labels in Mokolo Market Alcoholic Drinks
Reported by Marian Opeyemi Fasesan
A newly published scientific study has raised serious public health concerns over the safety and authenticity of alcoholic beverages sold at Mokolo Market in Yaoundé, Cameroon — one of Central Africa’s busiest and most popular marketplaces.
The study, published in the Journal of Food Processing & Beverages, revealed alarming levels of methanol, fraudulent labeling, and quality control issues in both traditional and industrially bottled drinks sold to consumers.
Key Findings:
- Methanol levels in some whiskey samples reached 138.2 mg/L, almost three times higher than the EU’s safe limit of 50 mg/L.
- Traditional drinks like palm wine and odontol had lower methanol levels (14.5–40.3 mg/L) but still exceeded Nigeria’s NAFDAC limit of 5 mg/L for locally brewed alcoholic beverages.
- Most traditional drinks analyzed had no alcohol percentage labels, raising safety and consumer transparency concerns.
- Many bottles lacked batch numbers, and some had identical batch numbers across different brands, a red flag for counterfeit production or poor quality control.
- – A mismatch was also found between the declared and actual alcohol content, pointing to fraudulent labeling practices.
The researchers warned that regular consumption of these beverages could pose serious health risks, especially among low-income consumers who rely on these products due to their affordability.
The study calls for urgent regulatory enforcement and testing by Cameroon’s health and food authorities to safeguard p
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