The relevance of nutritious food to the evolution, birth,
growth and advancement in the furtherance of successful and purposeful human existence cannot be underplayed. As a range of assorted edible body nourishing materials, food, is not merely consumed just for the fun of it, rather it is intended to fulfill a multiplicity of very vital functions in the human body.
Biologically, the relevance of good food to human growth and sustenance cannot be under emphasized. This explains why human edibles are classifiable into suitable and non-suitable consumables/junk. The suitability of human edibles for body nourishment is to a very large extent dependent on its ability to fulfill certain basic necessities.
Expectedly, good food is meant to help nourish the human body thereby according it strength, good vision/sight, effective and efficient reproductive abiliity, sustained ideal mental alertness, dynamic and reliable intelligent quotient (i.e. IQ), build and enrich the blood, enhance efficient respiratory/metabolic activities to mention but a few of the numerous responsibilities that it is saddled with.
To successfully discharge its onerous biological functions, the befitting human food is expected as a matter of necessity to possess certain characteristics /qualities known in the scientific parlance as nutrients and comprises vitamins, minerals, carbonhydrates, protein, iodine, iron, zink, folic acid, etc.
It is in this regard that the Dr Paul B.Orhii-led National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has resolved to further intensify its commitment towards ensuring appropriate fortification of food for Nigerians’ consumption. This is unquestionably in line with its enabling legal mandate- Decree 15 of 1993 as amended which encompasses the control and regulation of  manufacturing, importation, exportation, distribution, advertisement, sale and use of food.
Conscious of the enormity of its assigned responsibility in this regard the agency swung into action by creating a novel and specialized unit tagged Food and  Applied Nutrition Directorate as well as equipping it with seasoned and sophisticated food scientists/nutritionists to confront and deliver on food fortification ,an engagement which is already yielding enormous progress cum successes.
Mention must be made of the elaborate campaign and intensive enforcement operations of the agency which is currently eradicating the use of Potassium Bromate as baking flower/dough enhancer in Nigerian bakeries owing to its Cancer disease causing ability.
NAFDAC achievements in its dogged efforts at attaining comprehensive salt iodization, a professionalised scientific engagement targeted at ensuring the presence of iodine in table and cooking salt (ie edible salt] and maximally discourage the sale and consumption of the previous ubiquitous and ignorantly sold and exposed industrial salt in the nation’s markets is outrightly commendable.
There is no doubt that the salt in question also tagged; ‘industrial salt’ which is absolutely iodine deficient ,is globally acknowledged as being responsible for brain damage and reduced IQ in children while also causing a human neck deforming disease known as ‘goitre’ and other disorders.
(The evolvement) of a National Food Safety Committee-a focal point on food safety as well as the initiation of a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point plan are all part of efforts to enhance maximised fortification of food for human consumption since we are a reflection of what we consume as food.
Obviously, food products deficient of the required nutrients i.e., vitamins and minerals etc, could lead to malnutrition which explains why NAFDAC is strenuously working to forestall such nasty nutritional occurrence through enriching food vehicles with vitamin ‘A’ and other nutrients. Among these food vehicles being maximally equipped and enriched with the needed nutrients are; sugar, flour, vegitable oil, etc.
In view of the ongoing efforts of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration to develop the nation’s agricultural sector as a very reliable alternative to boosting foreign exchange earnings for Nigeria, the agency has further stepped up its commitment towards boosting the quality of the nation’s exportable agricultural outputs such as cashew nuts, cocoa, cassava, sorghum, melon seed etc.
NAFDAC is consistently impressing on stakeholders in the nation’s food sector the need to adopt and embrace the use of high quality cassava flour in baking of consumable products like bread, cakes, etc.
Hygiene is indeed a critical factor in efficient and effective fortification of food products. This in turn proffers suitable explanations as to why NAFDAC is compelling fast food providing industries, restaurants ,bakeries etc, to embrace good hygienic practices as ignoring such practice will spell doom for the nation via outbreak of food borne ailments since cleanliness they say is next to godliness.
In turn, the current food fortification drive of the nation’s human life elongating agency (NAFDAC) is unquestionably beneficial to the generality of Nigerian populace in numerous ways.
As strength/energy builder cum sustainer, ideal food products also referred to as balanced diet/meals, help provide and guarantee stable and dependable workforce thereby fast tracking a nation’s socio-economic and political development.
Ideally fortified/nutritious food products help the human body to adequately develop diseases resisting mechanisms known as anti-bodies which in turn help it to successfully wade off attacks. Moreover, a healthy nation, is globally rated as a wealthy nation.
Ikhilae is a Lagos-based public affairs analyst.

Martins Ikhilae