The Federal Government has lauded Erisco Foods Limited for its ingenuity in the manufacture of home-made processed foods, which are currently consumed by members of the Nigerian Armed Forces fighting insurgents in North-East of Nigeria.

Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, who stated this during a tour of Erisco Foods factory in Lagos, said the government was satisfied with the quality of the company’s products and the jobs created for local farmers who supply the raw materials used by the company.

Adewole said agriculture remains pivotal in efforts to diversify the economy and pledged that the government will support in the marketing of foods processed by the company for patronage by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF).

The Health Minister specifically commended Erisco Foods for the introduction of new Ready to Use Therapeutic Food, otherwise known as (RUTF), a highly nutritious delicacy for malnourished children and women as well as the ‘on the move’ self warming jollof rice and spagetti, and the garri mix, which is used by the Armed Forces in war zones. He said the company has added variety and spiced up the made in Nigeria foods experience for consumers.

Adewole said in a couple of weeks, officials from UNICEF would be visiting Erisco Foods for inspection and to open talks on the purchase of its products for use, especially among Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in refugee camps.

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According to him, it was important to get Erisco Foods to key into the UNICEF food supply market, even as he said the government had resolved that a substantial part of the $235 million earmarked for spending on ‘nutritional project’ must be spent in Nigeria.

Adewale said, to stay competitive in the market, Erisco Foods should partner with the Departments of Nutrition of Nigerian universities to ensure that its Research and Development Unit continues to churn out innovative products into the market.

President/CEO of Erisco Foods, Mr. Eric Umeofia, in his comment, thanked the Health Minister for visiting the plant to ascertain if products were processed in line with international quality and standards.

Umeofia said Erisco Foods is ready for the UNICEF team verification, even as he expressed confidence that the company will scale the audit exercise.