FIIRO hosts 14th EKO RIGAN GAMES

The Federal Institute of Iindustrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO) will be hosting the 14th Research Institute Game Association of Nigeria (RIGAN) from 6th to 16th December, 2013.

AGRIBUSINESS TAKES CENTER STAGE AT THE 19TH NIGERIAN ECONOMIC SUMMIT (NES 19)

The 19^th Nigerian Economic Summit was held between September 3-5, 2013, at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja. The central theme of the summit was Growing Agriculture as a Business to Diversify Nigeria’s Economy. The summit was used as a platform to evaluate the Agricultural Transformation Agenda of the federal government with the aim of ensuring that its potential translates into job creation, food security, social security and economic diversification. All the specific sectorial indicators that can crystallize the expected change were extensively considered with the following critical outcomes:

FIIRO R&D TECHNOLOGIES TRAINING PROGRAM

Technology Transfer Training workshop application form, click on the link for more information:// http://www.fiiro.org/index.php/events

CERTIFICATE IN TECHNO-ENTREPRENEURSHIP STUDIES

The Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi offers a 3-month practical Certificate Course in Techno-entrepreneurship Studies in conjunction with Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria. The course aims at developing and enhancing entrepreneurial skills and knowledge for self employment through the establishment of cottage, small and medium technical enterprises. Click on the link for more information: http://www.fiiro.org/index.php/entrepreneurship-training

FIIRO HOSTS 2ND DISTINGUISHED GUEST LECTURE

The 2^nd Distinguished Guest Lecture of the Institute was delivered by Professor Francis OluwoleShode, of the University of Zululand, South Africa on June 20, 2013. The theme was“Nutraceuticals: Promoting Innovation for Natural Product Utilization for Food and Non-food Uses in Nigeria”. Amongst the distinguished guests at the forum were Dr. Kenny Achonolu, CEO Bio-organics Nutrient Systems Limited, Dr. Deere Awosika, a former Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Science & Technology, Prof. ‘Jide Elemo of LASU & Prof. O. F. Oshundahunsi of FUTA. The discussants include Prof O. A. Ogunmoyela, of Bells University, Ota, Prof L. O. Sanni of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta Dr. A. Okoruwa of Glaxo SmithKline (GSK) Plc, Dr.TundeBalogun of  Fidson Pharmaceuticals, Prof. PrincewillAlozie of LASU, Dr.Jane Okafor of FIIRO and Mr. O. A. Ojakoya of Neimeth  Pharmaceuticals.

About 180 distinguished participants from the Academia, Food, Pharmaceutical and Cosmetics industries and various relevant organizations/institutions participated in the lecture. The Director General/CEO, Dr. Gloria Elemo played host to the guests and participants at the event.

FIIRO's Preliminary Results Okay Cassava Bread

The health concern of cassava bread consumers, especially people prone to diabetes, is being addressed by the Glycemic index (GI) studies embarked upon by the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO), Lagos. GI refers to how much and how quickly sugar is released into the body from ingested foods. the higher the index, the faster the food item will release sugar into the blood stream. Rather than rely on general online information alone to find out how these carbohydrate from the cassava flour is handled by the human body, the Institute has taken up research studies that use the cassava-inclusion loaves of 10 and 20 percent to generate the result locally.

And so far, according to the Director General and CEO of the Institute, Dr. Gloria Elemo, the preliminary result has been encouraging, declaring that the cassava is quite safe. The Director General said with inclusion of cassava flour of lower GI than wheat flour, the bread becomes even healthier and more so for even diabetic patients. She said the study stems from the fact that the Institute is unwaveringly commited to the cassava flour production and inclusion in bread, a transformation agenda issue of the Federal Government. She said the cassava industry that is capable of generating about three million jobs is worth all the effort being put in by FIIRO over the past few decades. With a whopping N635 million spent on wheat importation yearly, cassava flour inclusion of 20-40 percent make economic s sense, a situation that would turn around the fortunes of Nigerian farmers and stakeholders in the value chain.

DG Presentation at NISER on Prospects and Challenges of cassava bread

The Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO) pioneered R&D work on composite flours production from cereals, legumes and tubers way back in the “60s with the sole objective of reducing to an extent the importation of wheat into the country.
Major crops worked on for composite flour production include; cassava, sorghum, millet, rice and soybean.
With each of these crops, different levels or percentages of substitution or inclusion were experimented with and the results were very encouraging.

FIIRO has been in the forefront of the use of Cassava for various food products as far back as the 60’s.
FIIRO has been in the forefront of the use of cassava for various food products as far back as the 60’s.

In 1964, a composite flour programme was initiated by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations which President Shehu Shagari’s administration keyed into.

This programme was conceived as an intervention by FAO primarily to reduce importation bills on wheat for developing countries by stimulating local production and processing of non-wheat flour(s) to be incorporated into wheat flour.

FIIRO was identified as one of the centres of  excellence for composite flour and was funded.

FIIRO and IITA explore stronger collaboration

IITA and the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO) in Nigeria are forging stronger ties and will work together on postharvest and cassava research, capacity building, and youth development. This was highlighted during a recent visit by IITA to FIIRO. FIIRO is one of the pioneering R4D centers for cassava in Nigeria. The institute has made significant contributions to the understanding of cassava fermentation and the development of mechanized technologies for processing gari and fufu flour, among other cassava products.