Nigeria’s National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says `Nsukka pepper’, a popular local pepper spice, has pushed Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises (MSMEs) seasoning registration in South-East.
Mr. Venatius Ihekire, NAFDAC’s Assistant Director, Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, gave the information in Enugu on Monday.
The orange-coloured pepper mostly grown in Nsukka, Enugu State, adds flavour to both local and national delicacies. It can also be ideal for food garnishing in restaurants and hotels, which gives food shade of colours that makes it irresistible to the eyes.
Ihekire said that within the past 12 months, the agency in the zone had registered at least nine seasoning MSME products that had to do with either dry or fresh Nsukka pepper spices.
The director said that NAFDAC is will see that it is registered and certified to meet international standard.
Before the Nigerian government came with the Ease of Doing Business Initiative, which NAFDAC is a lead implementing agency, no single spice or seasoning product was registered in the South-East.
Source: NAN
