health

Stakeholders Collaborate On Ensuring Safety, Quality Of Food Seasoning

Last week in Lagos, healthcare professionals, chefs, and media practitioners convened to raise awareness about the standards and safety of Ajinomoto culinary seasoning.

The stakeholders including the members of the Association of Medical Officers of Health of Nigeria, AMOHN, Lagos State Chapter; Lagos State Caterers and Decorators Association LSCDA, and Health Writers Association of Nigeria, HEWAN, pledged to support the ongoing awareness drive by Ajinomoto Foods Nigeria Limited, AFN, and makers of the food seasoning in dispelling unfounded rumours about the Japanese product.

The stakeholders also conducted an excursion to the federal facility in Apapa district of Lagos as part of the management’s initiative to educate stakeholders about the safety and excellence of the culinary seasoning.

Speaking, the Managing Director of Ajinomoto Foods Nigeria Ltd. Mr. Noriyuki Ogushi, said engaging different stakeholders on the safety and quality of their products would help dispel unscientific rumours about the food seasoning which has been in existence for over 100 years and used in no less than 130 countries across the world.

Ogushi said the philosophy of the company was to contribute to the wellbeing of all, the society and the planet through “AminoScience.”

He stated that Aji-no-moto food seasoning also known as Umami or Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is safe for consumption, assuring the stakeholders that the safety of the product had long been scientifically proven and its safety approved by global authorised agencies.

“MSG seasoning, an Umami substance, is present in most natural foods such as meat, seafood, vegetables, cheese, and milk. Glutamate is abundant in human breast milk. Umami seasoning enhances the taste of dishes and is a universal taste.

“It is one of the five basic tastes along with sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. Ajinomoto is simply made from sugarcane through the natural process of fermentation”, he explained.

In her presentation, the Corporate Communications Manager of the company, Francisca Ikediashi, told the stakeholders to ignore fallacy and work with facts.

Ikediashi noted that the food seasoning helps in salt reduction in cooking and also enhances the taste of foods.  “When you hear of umami, what comes to your mind is MSG that is aji-no-moto seasoning.

And  MSG simply means sodium salt of glutamic acid which is an amino acid that is naturally in our body and present in all food, especially in protein-rich foods.

 “We have it in plant foods, animal, vegetables, tomato, carrot, locust bean like daddawa, castor oil bean seed and iru. When you ferment them, the glutamate in them rises and it’s the glutamate that impacts the umami flavour that we are talking about. “So, you can see it’s safe for human consumption”, she said.

Speaking, Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of AMOHN, Dr. Tunde Osoba, said the safety practices that he observed during the facility tour were of good standards.  

“The standard is what I would even encourage that many manufacturers that we have in Lagos State emulate. The environment is clean and tidy.

“Now on the issue of misconception because the product is registered with NAFDAC that makes it safe for consumption”, the public health physician said.

Another public health physician and member of AMOHN, Dr. Femi Oyekan, said: “We know that sometimes people come up with unverified claims and start spreading rumours.

That is why we have told the company to have a strong media presence and to dispel rumours whenever they are going around.

President, Lagos State Caterers and Decorators Association, Olajumoke Abraham-Agbelusi, said rumours about the product were untrue based on her many years of experience using the product.

She stated, “As a caterer, I have tried many products. The truth is that aji-no-moto is safe for consumption. It helps a lot in reducing the intake of salt.

 

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