Food is one of the basic needs of man, ahead of shelter and clothing and it has understandably, received, a lot of attention from Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) over the years. It has been processed to a high level of sophistication in modern times, and some of its nutritional and healthy values discovered.

Besides, its taste and general appeal has been improved by the use of seasoning and flavouring in our cooking and this, unarguably has been a major determinant of its level of consumption.

Beverages, for instance, have gone beyond the popular commercial carbonate drinks. They are now enriched with essential vitamins and other addictives such as food drinks like chocolate, coffee, tea and malt are widely consumed.

The market is awash with assorted brands of fruit drinks and juices but not all of them provide the essential vitamins and minerals that the body needs, because most of them are prepared with artificial flavours, chemical addictives and preservatives that lacks essential vitamins.

However, awareness about the quality of fruit drinks, juices and beverages is fast growing among consumers and these days, many people opt for health drinks with nutritive value.

Similarly, with the upsurge in the number of fast food outlet, many people now go for the quick service delivery eateries who can offer them a balanced meal and not just pastries.

Statistics have further shown that in the Third World, of which Nigeria is among, daily consumption of macro and micro nutrients fall short of the food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) which stipulates the minimum requirement per day at about 2.191 calories and 55.8 grains of crude proteins.

This notwithstanding, players in the food sector have continued to offer Nigeria consumers the healthy way to live through the production of quality food and healthy beverages, drinking water, fruit drinks, malt drinks, diary and malt products, among others.

Notable stakeholders include multinationals and medium scale firms, which include: Nestle Plc, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, PZ Industries Plc, UAC Plc, Nigeria Bottling Company Plc, Unilever Plc, Afprint-Sunola vegetable Oil, Grand Cereals Plc., Sosaco Nigeria Plc, Dangote Group’s – Dansa and Mowa water, Vital Nigeria Limited, Funman fruit juice, Chi Ltd, UTC Plc, De United Food Ind. Ltd., manufacturer of Indomie, Kneipe Ltd. – Dano milk, Classic Beverages Plc. – Lacasera, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Lisabi Mills food ltd, Promazidor- Cowbell milk, Bio-organic Nutrient Systems Ltd, Veevee Ind. Ltd, Artee Group’s – Cascade water, Doyin Group, Blue Boat, Just Food Ltd, Voltic Nig. Ltd, SWAN Plc, Ayoola Food Ltd, Deli Food Ltd, WASCO Plc, Devyani International Nig. Ltd, Cway Group, Erisco Food Ltd, OK Food, Aqua Fina Water Ltd, Deli Food, SAB miller International, Olam Nig Plc, Crown Flour Mills Plc, Tetrazzini Nig. Ltd, Tastee Fried Chicken (FFC), UAC Mr. Biggs, Sweet Sensation, Tantaliser, Chicken Republic, among others.

Assessing the food sector performance so far, the Managing Director, Lisabi Mills Ltd., Mr. Shex Ladipo recommends that fortifying basic foods may address the nutrition question.

Mr. Ladipo highlights how the United States of America (USA) government made moves to correct anomalies in her citizens’ nutritional intake.

‘‘To this end, Americans now have most of their foods fortified. For instance, since the 1920’s iodine has been added to salt to help prevent goiter, which has been linked to iodine deficiency. Also, since 1940’s bread has been enriched with thiamin, riboflavin and niacin. The average Americans hence get about 20 per cent of his nutrient requirements from fortified foods,” Mr. Shex Ladipo stressed.

The Managing Director of Bio-Organic Nutrient Systems Ltd., Mr. Uzoma Kenny Acholonu sums up everything when he says: ‘‘There is a popular saying in nutritional circles that, ‘‘good nutrition is good business and there is also another one that says, ‘‘If the doctor of today refuses to be a nutritionist of tomorrow, the nutritionist of today will be the doctor of tomorrow. And for companies who fortify their products with these essential nutrients, their survival in the market of the future is assured.”

In his contribution, Otunba Solomon Kayode Onafowokan, Chairman Artee Group, bottlers of Cascade water further noted that, the epileptic power supply constitutes another serious problem to investors in the food sector and manufacturers in general. The result is increase in the cost of production. We also want government intervention in road rehabilitation and rail lines to ease problems associated with distribution.

The National Agency for Foods, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has been of immense help as the regulatory agency and watch dog of the industry in its effort to eliminate fake, sub standard and adulterated products in the market place.

NAFDAC efforts have boosted business and given Nigerians the opportunity to innovate and manufacture made-in-Nigeria brands, Onafowokan noted.