By Jimoh Babatunde with agency reports
The Managing Director of UTC Nigeria, Mrs. Folusho Olaniyan, said the company has been able to achieve a sustainable commercial recipe for White Bread and Wheat Grain Bread, with 20 percent high quality cassava.

She made this disclosure while receiving the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii in her office in Lagos on Thursday.

Mrs. Folusho Olaniyan explained that the organisation encountered several setbacks but after 92 trials and other challenges finally in February, 2012 was able to achieve 20 per cent high quality cassava flour inclusion in the bread.

Olaniyan pointed out that UTC has successfully replaced wheat flour not just in bread but in doughnuts, cakes and other pastries.

She explained that when they were invited by the government alongside other bakers in the country to spearhead the production of cassava bread and other cassava flour-based confectionery, we took it as a challenge to empower our farmers.”

According to her, UTC envisaged move to produce cassava bread would be successful, “We were passionate about its goal despite the fact that it was unsure of how or when these goals would be achieved. The company encountered several setbacks, but was able to find a path around these obstacles. It took risks and it paid o!

Olaniyan explained: “After 92 trials and almost three months from the date of our initial trial, we were able to crack the nut, and in February 2012 we achieved a sustainable commercial recipe for White Bread and Wheat Grain Bread, with 20 percent high quality cassava “our inclusion.

Today, she said with joy that what they have achieved within three months in terms of including High Quality Cassava in their products is what others have not been able to do in years.

We also standardised and commercialised our Cakes and Chopsy Beef Roll recipe with 30 percent high quality cassava “our inclusion.