Food seasoning promotes healthy living, reduces salt consumption - Experts

Food experts and management of Ajinomoto Foods Nigeria Limited have said the use of AJI-NO-MOTO food season promotes healthy living by enhancing the flavour of food and reducing excessive salt consumption.

They stated that the season helps to reduce salt intake which has been identified as a precursor to hypertension because it is pure Monosodium Glutamate without salt or other impurities.

According to them, the umami food seasoning can be considered a healthier alternative to table salt, adding that it contains just one-third of the sodium.

Food experts and researchers have repeatedly assured that the food seasoning, made from sugarcane is safe for consumption and is used in over 100 countries of the world to bring out the deliciousness in foods and promote the flavour of foods.

Speaking at the 12th Annual Symposium & Awards Ceremony of the Health Writers Association of Nigeria (HEWAN) held in Lagos recently, Francisca Ikediashi, corporate communications manager at Ajinomoto Foods Nigeria Limited, said people should avoid excessive salt intake given its health adverse effects, affirming that AJI-NO-MOTO supports healthy meals.

Urging Nigerians to patronise the brand and ignore misinformation around it, Ikediashi pointed out that excessive salt consumption leads to hypertension, warning that hypertension is a major risk factor for heart failure, stroke and kidney disease which are currently on the rise in the country.

“AJI-NO-MOTO is considered a healthier alternative to salt in our meals as it helps to promote the deliciousness of Umami and reduce the salt content without compromising that great enjoyable taste at meal times”, she added.

She assured that the safety of AJI-NO-MOTO MSG is guaranteed by many global authorities and as a result, consumers from over 100 countries across the world love to use it for their daily cooking.

Ikediashi said adulteration and lots of fake and cheap products in the markets are the problems the seasoning is facing and not safety issues.

Abdulkarim Muhammad, a food biotechnology expert and Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Dutse (FUD) in Jigawa State, said that in this era when hypertension is on the increase, the use of AJI-NO-MOTO helps to reduce salt in food.

The food expert during a recent Umami Seminar in Lagos said the undeserved reputation of the product comes from a lack of awareness among the people.

Prof Muhammad said, “What I can say from my side as a researcher is that this product has been extensively researched not only in Nigeria but in Asia and also in Europe because of the controversies.

“What the researchers found is that there is nothing to associate this particular product with any of the ill health that is being said to have caused.

“What you have in salt is just to enhance the taste of food but AJI-NO-MOTO as I mentioned is a neurotransmitter.

“MSG is used for a lot of electrical activities in your body. It is good for the brain.”

The researcher noted, “What we don’t want in food is anything that accumulates in your body. Salt does accumulate in your bloodstream which is why we have high blood pressure, etc.

“MSG is strictly used in the body, it doesn’t accumulate in the body. So, it is used up and it doesn’t accumulate like salt and so you don’t have any adverse effect or long-term effects considering this product.

“AJI-NO-MOTO is pure MSG, it gives our meals that preferred deliciousness and can reduce salt intake and increase palatability.”

Noriyuki Ogushi, managing director of Ajinomoto Foods Nigeria Ltd, was conferred with an Award of Excellence by HEWAN at the event for his support for health journalism and the growth of the economy.