Studies have shown that high sodium consumption can raise blood pressure, and high blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. This is even as Ajinomoto Foods Nigeria Limited, an affiliate of a global food giant, Ajinomoto, has tasked Lagos residents with healthy living and low consumption of salt to reduce the risk of hypertension and other non-communicable diseases. Corporate communications manager of Ajinomoto Foods Nigeria Limited, Francisca Ikediashi, at the 13th Annual Symposium & Awards Ceremony of the Health Writers Association of Nigeria, HEWAN, held in Lagos, said people should avoid excessive salt intake, citing health reasons.
Ikediashi said the company had continually and significantly contributed to the promotion of good health and good culinary practice for healthy living of all families through the provision of nutritional seasoning products and other products of high quality to our consumers. The use of AJI-NO-MOTO food seasoning, a monosodium glutamate- a major kind of amino acid that enhances Umami taste, promotes healthy living by enhancing the flavour of food and reducing excessive salt consumption. She noted, adding that the safety of AJI-NO-MOTO had long been scientifically proven and its safety was approved by authorized agencies of the United Nations.
She explained that Umami translates to “deliciousness”, and the term was named in 1908 by a Japanese scientist Ikeda Kikunae to describe the savoury taste produced by glutamate. She pointed out that the umami food seasoning can be considered a healthier alternative to table salt, adding that it contains just one-third of the sodium. Additionally, she explained that Umami” is the taste of “Glutamate”, an amino acid that is a component of protein.
“The most abundant natural raw material in the form of free glutamate that can be found naturally in meat, seafood, tomatoes, vegetables, human breastmilk. It is also found in Umami seasonings through fermentation or aged such as shrimp paste, fish sauce, fermented fish, fermented soya bean, soy sauce, etc. she said.
Ikediashi assured that the food seasoning, made from sugarcane is safe for consumption and is used in over 100 countries and regions of the world to bring out the deliciousness in foods and promote the flavour of foods. Urging Nigerians to patronise the brand and ignore misinformation around it, Ikediashi pointed out that excessive salt consumption leads to hypertension, 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.
We are actively developing products and seasonings that utilize salt-reduction technologies and the safety of AJI-NO-MOTO® has long been scientifically proven and its safety approved by authorized agencies of the United Nations”, she said. She urged Nigerians to debunk the myths and unscientific claims about MSG and to work with facts and science as the AJINOMOTO Group is committed to contributing to wellness of the human beings, the society and the planet through “AminoScience”.
