At the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding in Lagos, President of SACCOF, Ademola Adesoye said the collaboration would boost research into sugar consumption and control. He said the partnership validated the commitment of Chivita to its ‘no-added sugar’ campaign
Adesoye, a food technology expert, pointed out that the commitment was not only necessary for raising the awareness level but also critical to correcting the misconceptions about sugar consumption.
He noted: “It is important Nigerians understand that they need sugar to carry out their basic tasks. What is bad is excess intake. And what could be normal for one person may be excessive for another? What determines the volume of sugar you require are your lifestyle and the amount of energy you need to discharge your responsibilities.
“It is important to get the perspective right. The key message is that the simple sugars contained in fruit juices are mostly fructose which is naturally occurring in the intact structure of the respective raw fruits or vegetables, thereby making them very healthy and nutritional. Indeed, there have been cases where some people have low sugar level in their system and this is as bad as excess sugar. So, it is satisfying to know that Chivita, the leading juice manufacturing company, is spearheading this campaign.”
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According to Adesoye, excess sugar intake without complementary active living, are likely causes of diabetes and associated diseases among many Nigerians. He, therefore, called for the involvement of relevant stakeholders in the campaign as well as more investment in researches and public sensitization.
The SACCOF President disclosed that Foundation had carried out extensive research on Chivita 100% and that the results were commendable, adding that SACCOF was impressed by the company’s compliance to highest food safety standards, which are above industry regulatory requirements.
Also speaking, Managing Director, Chi Limited, Deepanjay Roy said Chivita would, on the strength of the partnership, support the Foundation’s research works and other initiatives aimed at educating Nigerians on healthy living.
Roy said that the company and SACCOF had shared values in boosting the quality of life, through enlightenment and support for consumer’s health and wellness.
“As a sustained initiative, we hope to support independent efforts by experts such as nutritionists and dieticians to show how fruit juice contributes to the health and well-being of consumers. We will also create a sustainable discourse on the truth and science of 100% fruit juice and the No-added Sugar proposition”.
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