MD/CEO Lovebite food and beverages limited, Mr Okwudili Nwosu,in glasses, during a food safety course in Germany.
Nkechi David Iwuchukwu, Awka
Amid growing concerns and social media campaigns warning Nigerians against consuming certain foods over alleged kidney-related health risks, food and beverage manufacturer Lovebite Food & Beverages Limited has raised concerns over some practices in the bread production industry.
The company, however, said the major concern should not necessarily be bread itself, but the safety of the ingredients, production environment and processes used in manufacturing the product.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Lovebite Food & Beverages Limited, Mr Innocent Okwudili Nwosu, disclosed this after completing a food-safety course at the food laboratory of a leading production company in Düsseldorf, Germany.
Nwosu said the training exposed him to international best practices in bread production, including the German bread-making process, approved ingredients, permissible quantities and modern production machinery.
According to him, the experience reinforced the food-safety principles upon which Lovebite was founded in 2019.
“Food safety is all about producing food that will not in any way pose danger to the consumer, whether in the short, medium or long term,” he said.
He stressed that maintaining food safety begins with the production environment, which, according to him, must be properly conditioned to eliminate possible sources of contamination.
He also identified the medical fitness of food handlers, the use of food-grade stainless-steel equipment and the certification of ingredients as critical components of safe food production.
Nwosu noted that food-processing machinery should be manufactured with appropriate food-grade materials, including SUS 304 or SUS 316 stainless steel, to minimise contamination risks.
He expressed concern over what he described as the use of inappropriate or excessive additives and preservatives by some bread producers in an attempt to extend the shelf life of their products and increase profitability.
“The major issue with most bread in Nigeria is the addition of dangerous ingredients in order to make more profit, with the worst being the use of excessive preservatives or non-food-grade preservatives for bread production,” he said.
He explained that Lovebite deliberately maintains a shorter shelf life for its bread as part of its food-safety approach.
According to him, Lovebite bread, under normal room-temperature conditions, has a shelf life of seven days from production, while under hot conditions, the product may last for only about four days.
He said the company uses the NAFDAC-recommended quantity of food-grade calcium propionate as a preservative, while maintaining strict hygiene and mould-control measures within its production facility.
Nwosu further disclosed that Lovebite has operated a bread-return and replacement policy since its establishment in 2019.
Under the policy, distributors and retailers are encouraged to return bread that has reached seven days after production for replacement.
He said the company currently produces approximately 250,000 one-kilogramme loaves weekly and replaces up to 2,000 loaves that have exceeded the recommended seven-day period, particularly during the current low-sales season.
The Lovebite boss urged consumers to buy quantities of bread they can reasonably consume within a few days rather than stockpiling the product.
He also cautioned consumers against relying on marketing claims that bread can remain fresh and free from spoilage for several weeks.
“Consumers should avoid any bread brand whose marketing stunt is to advertise that its products can stay for weeks without spoiling,” he advised.
Nwosu added that consumers who require bread to last longer should refrigerate it from the first day of purchase.
He also warned that visible mould on bread should be treated seriously because mould growth can indicate contamination and may pose food-safety risks.
He called for greater public awareness and stronger adherence to food-safety standards across Nigeria’s food-processing industry, stressing that profitability should never come at the expense of consumers’ health and safety.
“Eat Lovebite for assurance of best practice. Eat the best, be the best,” he said.
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