Imli, Amaranth and Moringa grown in Africa are increasingly finding their way into Western diets.

◊ By Benefit Publishing Bureau

Note: To access the contact details of all Indian organic ingredient suppliers and organic shops in India, buy Organic Directory

Africa is becoming a rich source of superfood ingredients. Many ingredients of high nutritional quality are emerging from the continent.

Aduna Superfoods, London, has just launched the superfood Fonio in the UK. Fonio is an ancient supergrain, grown in West Africa for 5,000 years. The gluten-free grain is part of the millet family. It is rich in iron and amino acids, and is a source of zinc, vitamin B1 and B3 and phosphorus. Owing to its versatility and high nutritional quality, fonio has been dubbed The New Quinoa. It has also been registered as a ‘Novel Food’ with the EU.

Pierre Thiam, one of Africa’s eminent chefs, has already introduced fonio in the US market via Yolélé Foods. Thiam is promoting the African grain through his recipe book, The Fonio Cookbook,  through Yolélé products, and also as speaker at the Sustainable Foods Summit (22-23 January, San Francisco). In the coming months, Yolélé Foods will launch fonio pilaf mixes, cereals and snacks.

Fonio is just one of a growing number of African superfood ingredients that are finding their way into Western diets. Baobab is another nutrient-dense ingredient. Sourced from the baobab tree, the fruit pulp is rich in vitamin C, phosphorus, calcium, fibre, carbohydrates, protein, potassium and lipids. Baobab is used in drinks, nutraceuticals, snacks, yoghurts, etc.

Moringa is another superfood ingredient. Moringa powder has high protein content and is rich in iron, vitamins K & E, and antioxidants. In Africa and Asia, it has been used to treat diabetes, heart disease, anaemia, arthritis, liver disease, as well as, respiratory, skin and digestive disorders. Moringa is used in a range of food products, such as teas, drinks and snack bars.

Hibiscus, Amaranth and Tamarind are some of the other African ingredients with a high nutritional profile that are taking off in North America and Europe.

With its rich culinary heritage and culture, Africa is becoming a hotbed of superfood ingredients. The way forward is with sustainable sourcing. Over half of the world’s poor live in Africa. A recent World Bank study showed that extreme poverty remains high in Africa, at 40%, compared to a global average of 10%.

Food and ingredient companies should follow the pioneers and undertake sustainable sourcing. For instance, Aduna Superfoods sources baobab from 1,100 women in Ghana, whilst Yolélé Foods is working with small subsistence farmers in West Africa to produce fonio. As socially inclined enterprises, they are giving a premium to African producers which could help them out of poverty.

Sustainable sourcing also allows a marketing edge. Today, consumers are asking greater questions of the food products they buy. African ingredients raise questions around sourcing practices and fair pay to growers. By working directly with growers, brands can provide greater transparency in their supply chains. They can also monitor the social impacts of their sourcing programmes.

Sustainable sourcing will be the focus of upcoming editions of the Sustainable Foods Summit. The aim of the summit is to create new horizons for eco-labels and sustainability in the food industry by discussing key industry issues in a high-level forum. The North American edition of the summit will be hosted at the Merchants Exchange Club in San Francisco on 22 and 23rd of January, 2020.

For further information, visit

www.sustainablefoodssummit.com.