How some vendors melt nylon in oil to keep plantain chips crunchy

Some street food vendors in Nigeria are melting plastic bags in frying oil to keep plantain chips crunchy and extend their shelf life, Vanguard reports.

According to the report, rising prices of vegetable oil, cooking gas and plantains, which have reportedly tripled in two years, are pushing vendors to cut costs. The melted plastic forms a glazing agent that creates a glassy outer shell and stops the chips from absorbing moisture, extending shelf life from two days to over two weeks.

A roadside vendor, Halima Mohammed, said, “If I increase the price of a small pack from N200 to N400, the students will walk away.” She denied using the method herself.

Plastic-infused oil releases carcinogenic compounds, heavy metals and microplastics into food, with risks to liver and kidney health, the report added.

Public health advocate Dr. Duro Ifagbemi warned, “We are looking at a ticking time bomb of gastrointestinal complications and cancer cases.”

Regulators have repeatedly warned against the practice, but enforcement in the informal economy remains difficult.