Modupe Gbadeyanka
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The importance of wheat has again be emphasised by the Managing Director of Crown Flour Mill (CFM) Limited, Mr Ashish Pande.
According to him, at the moment, “the wheat value chain accounts for 75 million of the daily food portions in Nigerian households.”
“As such, food safety is of very critical importance both ethically and financially to the food production space. Quality is extremely imperative as it helps to reduce risks and cost thereby increasing sales and improving reputation,” he added.
Mr Pande was speaking on the occasion of the 2021 World Food Safety Day (WFSD) themed Safe Food Now for a Healthy Tomorrow.
He disclosed that the theme for this year’s event couldn’t have been more apt in drawing attention to the current global and national food security and safety issues.
Mr Pande stated that as producers of one of the leading food staples in the country, the flour milling firm puts a premium on food safety, which he said for the company, starts from raw material procurement through to the manufacturing processes, storage and distribution and right up to when it gets to the consumer.
This was corroborated by the VP, Quality of CFM, Jean Hazoume, who said, “We ensure that all legal and regulatory requirements are met at all levels, with rigorous procedures followed in line with the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) standards to optimize best practices.
“Our factories are certified compliant with international standards, and preventive & corrective actions are taken as at when due.” We pay maximum attention where food safety and quality are concerned.”
In the food processing business, traceability is a vital part of operational efficiency. This entails identifying the source of all food inputs such as raw materials, additives, other ingredients, and packaging. CFM’s operations underscore the importance of traceability for the production of safe food products.
Food quality measures by CFM includes the deployment of cutting-edge vitamin premix to boost the supply of nutritious, and safe food products that meet the regulatory requirement of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) for the local market.
Today’s consumers and particularly this present generation are more health-conscious than their older counterparts. This presents a huge opportunity for food manufacturers to exploit this consciousness by manufacturing food products to meet consumer preferences.
In this regard, Ashish Pande said: “We have a few things in the pipeline in terms of new product development that would further excite our customers.
“However, at present, our food labels convey information about our product’s nutritional identity and contents, and on how to handle them safely. They contain vital details such as preparation and consumption directions, date of manufacture and expiry of the product as well as storage instructions.
“Our nutrition labels describe the nutrient content of our products and are intended to guide the consumer in food selection. Our nutrient content is carefully selected and based on compliance with regulatory dietary recommendations.
“Keeping the contents of our food products safe for their required shelf life is fundamental to avoiding food contamination.”
