A Professor of Food Processing and Biochemical Engineering at the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Professor Monday Ohwesiri Akusu, has called on the Rivers State Government to support the commercial cultivation of Allanblackia floribunda, popularly known as the tallow tree, as a healthier and cheaper alternative raw material for food processing.
Prof. Akusu said the seeds of Allanblackia can be used to produce zero trans-fat margarine, bakery fat and shortening, thereby reducing the health risks associated with trans-fat consumption, particularly coronary heart diseases.
The don made the call while delivering the 124th Inaugural Lecture of Rivers State University, titled “Food Processing for Healthy Living and Wealth Creation in an Emerging Economy,” last Wednesday in Port Harcourt.
According to him, partially hydrogenated fats—commonly found in spreads, bakery fats, shortening and margarine—have long dominated the food supply chain despite their high trans-fat content, a trend he said must be urgently reversed.
He explained that consumers are increasingly abandoning hydrogenated fats due to health concerns and turning to alternatives such as stearin and olein derived from palm oil, soybean oil and groundnut oil.
However, Prof. Akusu noted that rising costs and scarcity of these raw materials, especially crude palm oil, have made sustained production difficult.
He cited figures showing that in 2021 alone, the Central Bank of Nigeria imported ₦20.28 billion worth of palm oil from China, ₦16.49 billion from Malaysia, and ₦31.43 billion worth of palm olein, also from Malaysia.
He described the figures as “staggering” and unsustainable.
To address this, Prof. Akusu advocated a new approach centred on the utilisation of locally under-exploited crops such as Allanblackia seeds and African pear pulp for the production of heart-friendly, non-hydrogenated bakery fats and margarine.
“Allanblackia floribunda fruits are abundant in Rivers State, especially in Etche Local Government Area, including communities such as Okehi, Igbodo, Ubimini, Oyigbo, Ndoki, Ogbakiri, Elibrada and Rumuewhor,” he said, adding that the tree grows widely in Etche forests.
He disclosed that laboratory trials have successfully produced margarine and bakery fats from Allanblackia seeds, capable of delivering up to 1,000 kilocalories of energy, which supports efficient heart function.
Beyond fats and oils, Prof. Akusu advised Nigerians to consume more coloured fruits and vegetables, noting that they are rich in micronutrients and bioactive compounds that inhibit cancer cell growth. These include watermelon, red apples, purple cabbage, pepper, oranges, shrimps, lobsters, carrots, palm oil and red wine.
He also called for measures to reduce post-harvest losses of pepper by encouraging the commercial production of branded ground pepper and pepper sauce for local and export markets.
Describing pepper as the “king of spices,” he said it contains powerful antioxidants that protect the body from free radicals responsible for cancer.
He noted that although Nigeria produces large quantities of pepper with superior nutritional content, most pepper sauces sold in supermarkets are imported.
“Our research enabled us to stabilise locally produced pepper sauce without separation, using a mathematical solution,” he revealed.
The professor further encouraged young graduates to invest in the machine-shelling of egusi seeds, noting that machine-processed egusi retains the same quality and taste as hand-peeled varieties.
He also recommended the establishment of an integrated plantain processing factory to produce plantain flour for use in composite noodles made with wheat and ginger.
“Nigeria is the 13th largest consumer of foreign noodles in the world. We produced instant noodles from plantain and wheat composite flours spiced with ginger. From plantain peels, we also extracted pectin with excellent gelling properties for making jam and marmalade,” he said.
Prof. Akusu concluded that with the right policy support, food processing innovation could significantly improve public health, reduce import dependence, and create wealth in Nigeria’s emerging economy.
