Nkiruka Odinkemelu
To promote healthy living, West African Seasoning Company Limited (WASCO), makers of AJI-NO-MOTO food seasoning product, has taken its safety campaign to Health Writers Association of Nigeria (HEWAN).
The company has been engaging key stakeholders in the medical profession, food science and technology, women groups, traditional rulers among others, to raise awareness on health and safety.
Speaking at the 10th Annual Symposium/Award Ceremony of the association held in Lagos recently, WASCO’s Head of Marketing, Mr. Isah Hassan Shallangwa, gave reasons Nigerians should not entertain any fear consuming its products.
“The benefits of the seasoning include enhancing and promoting the deliciousness of our meals; it is economical; it reduces salt intake and it is rich in glutamate one of the free amino acids. Almost all seasoning contains MSG,” Shallangwa said.
He told the health writers drawn from the print, broadcast and online media that contrary to negative rumours, its seasoning is 100 per cent safe for human consumption.
At the symposium themed “Curbing the High Rate of Brain Drain in the Nigerian Health Sector”, he assured the journalists that the safety of the product had long been scientifically proven and its safety approved by authorized agencies of the United Nations.
He said WASCO was committed to bringing out the natural taste in cooking through safe and cost-effective seasonings, urging them to dispel any myth or misconception about AJI-NO-MOTO. Also speaking, WASCO’s Corporate Communication Officer, Mrs. Francisca Ikediashi, commended members of the association for the engagement and promised that the company remained committed working with them in making AJI-NO-MOTO a household name in food seasoning in Nigeria.
President of HEWAN, Mrs. Chioma Obinna in her response, commended WASCO for supporting and contributing to the success of this year’s symposium, assuring that members of the association would continue to provide consumers with factual information about the product.
“This awareness is a welcome development. A lot of our members have today been sensitised to the safety of your product. Now that the company has partnered with us for awareness creation, we are very happy. It is now our duty to take the information to the public,” she said.