The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has urged manufacturers of staple food items to fully comply with the National Policy on Food Fortification as part of efforts to address widespread malnutrition affecting women and children across the country.
Speaking at a workshop organised for food producers in Port Harcourt, the Director General of SON, Dr. Ifeanyi Okeke, represented by the Regional Director, South South, Mrs. Esther Okon, emphasised the critical role of producers of salt, sugar, flour, and edible oil in ensuring that essential nutrients reach vulnerable groups.
Okon stated that these manufacturers have a greater responsibility in delivering fortified foods necessary for proper physical and mental development, stressing that “all hands must be on deck” to make the national policy a success.
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The workshop, which focused on producers, aimed to reinforce the importance of fortifying staple foods and to mobilise support for tracking and sanctioning non-compliant manufacturers.
Head of Nutrition at SON, Mrs. Victoria Nsofor, disclosed that the Federal Government has made the fortification of specified food items compulsory. She warned consumers against patronising unfortified products, saying such items pose serious risks to children’s growth and mental development.
The event brought together representatives from the Rivers State Ministry of Health, major staple food producers, and small-scale manufacturers, had Participants brainstorming on strategies to tackle counterfeiting and other challenges hindering the effective implementation of the food fortification policy.
At the end of the workshop, stakeholders agreed that producers must regularly vet their distributors to safeguard product standards and prevent any compromise on quality.
