By Doris Obinna
Medical experts, caterers, and the media practitioners have promised to support the ongoing awareness drive by Ajinomoto Foods Nigeria Limited (AFN) an affiliate of a global food giant, AJINOMOTO, and makers of AJI-NO-MOTO® food seasoning in dispelling unfounded rumours about the Japanese product.
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, pledged during a facility tour of the AJI-NO-MOTO® factory located at Apapa as part of efforts by the management to sensitise the stakeholders about the safety and quality of the food seasoning.
The factory visit served as a platform for the medical professionals, journalists, caterers, and management of the company to deliberate on the safety of the product and dispel rumours about it.
Receiving the stakeholders, Managing Director, 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 human beings, the society and the planet through “AminoScience.”
The managing director stated that AJI-NO-MOTO® food seasoning also known as Umami or Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) was 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. AJI-NO-MOTO® 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 AJI-NO-MOTO® helps in salt reduction in our cooking and also enhances the deliciousness of our meals.
“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.
Also, 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. The machines did not pose any form of danger to the personnel. So they have good safety and hygiene practices.
“Now on the issue of misconception because the product is registered with National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) that makes it safe for consumption.”
Another public health physician and member of AMOHN, Dr. Femi Oyekan, said the facility visit was a good one for the brand itself while commending the management of the company for bringing stakeholders to its factory to give them a talk about the safety and quality of AJI-NO-MOTO®.
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.
“From the things that I saw during the facility tour, the company keeps to hygiene and their infection prevention protocol is top-notch. They are dedicated to whatever they are doing. From what we have seen for ourselves, most of the rumours being spread about AJI-NO-MOTO® are not true.
“We have seen the research they have done showing that the product is safe. So, I would advise the public to ignore rumours about the product and work with facts.”
President, Lagos State Caterers and Decorators Association, Olajumoke Abraham-Agbelusi, said rumours about AJI-NO-MOTO® 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.
“When my members and I use AJI-NO-MOTO®, we reduce the quantity of salt added to the food. So, it is a healthy season that promotes low salt consumption.”
Another caterer, Mr Ogundele Ezekiel, also said, “When you talk about natural taste, AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami seasoning gives you that natural taste because the product is made from sugarcane. And sugarcane has a lot of health benefits. I use it to prepare food for my clients and it’s very economical.”
On their part, media representatives at the event advised the company to intensify AJI-NO-MOTO® safety awareness and ensure it’s sustainable.