Health
Foundation pushes phytase adoption to improve nutrient absorption in plant-based foods
Angela Onwuzoo
In a move to improve the nutritional value of plant-based foods and tackle micronutrient deficiencies in Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation, Sight and Life Foundation, is advocating the adoption of phytase by food manufacturers as a processing aid to enhance the quality of these foods and reduce the burden of malnutrition.
The African Advisor of the Sight and Life Foundation, Dr Mairo Mandara, said there was a need to maximise the potential of phytase in improving the nutritional quality of plant-based foods such as bread, pap, sorghum, and other cereals.
She said phytase helps the body unlock and absorb essential minerals such as iron, zinc, and calcium, and also improves the digestibility of protein.
Mandara, an obstetrician-gynaecologist and public health physician, said the adoption of phytase as a food processing aid had become imperative, citing Nigerian phytase food application studies and how phytic acid (an anti-nutrient in grains) in cereals prevents the body from fully absorbing their nutrients and minerals.
Speaking at a roundtable discussion in Lagos titled “Unpacking the Power of Phytase: Impact Assessment and Future Regulatory Pathways”, organised by the foundation, the physician and other stakeholders highlighted the benefits of phytase and why it should be adopted in Nigeria.
Mandara said,“Micronutrient deficiencies remain a major public health concern, particularly in settings where people rely heavily on plant-based foods and have limited access to diverse diets.
“Phytase offers a practical and science-based opportunity to improve the nutritional value of commonly consumed plant-based foods. By reducing the effect of phytic acid, phytase can help unlock nutrients that are already present in food but may not be fully absorbed by the body.”
Available data show that many Nigerians—particularly pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children under five—continue to suffer from anaemia, zinc deficiency, and other micronutrient gaps.
The meeting, held at Radisson Blu, Ikeja, brought together representatives from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Dangote Foundation, development partners, donors, researchers, food technology experts, and nutrition stakeholders to discuss the potential of phytase in improving nutritional quality and supporting efforts to reduce micronutrient deficiencies in Nigeria.
The discussion focused on emerging insights from Nigerian phytase food application studies, the nutritional and technical case for its use in human nutrition, cost-benefit considerations, and the regulatory and policy pathways needed to support adoption in the Nigerian food system.
Mandara said the purpose of the roundtable was to share insights from phytase food application studies conducted in Nigeria and advance discussions toward coordinated policy action for its adoption in human nutrition.
According to her, phytase is an enzyme that breaks down phytic acid.
“When added to foods, phytase can improve the quality and digestibility of plant-based protein and increase the bioavailability of essential minerals. Evidence has shown that phytase can improve the absorption of minerals such as iron, zinc, and calcium, making it a promising tool for addressing micronutrient deficiencies through commonly consumed foods.
“In Nigeria, where many households rely on cereal- and legume-based foods, phytase could play an important role in improving nutrition outcomes if supported by strong evidence, practical food applications, clear regulatory pathways, and coordinated stakeholder engagement,” she said.
The physician noted that Sight and Life Foundation is currently working to support the introduction of phytase-enriched food products in Nigeria.
“This roundtable is an important step toward translating evidence into practical recommendations, coordinated stakeholder action, and future regulatory pathways.
“An estimated four billion people globally live primarily on plant-based diets. For some, this is a dietary choice; for many others, it is shaped by limited availability and affordability of animal-source foods, freshwater, energy resources, and other food system constraints.
“While plant-based foods such as cereals, legumes, nuts, and grains are important sources of energy and nutrients, many contain high levels of phytic acid. Phytic acid is often described as an anti-nutrient because it binds to essential nutrients such as iron, zinc, calcium, amino acids, and other minerals, making them harder for the body to absorb.
“This has important implications for public health, especially in populations where diets are heavily dependent on plant-based staples and where access to diverse, nutrient-rich foods may be limited. In such contexts, poor nutrient absorption can contribute to micronutrient deficiencies, particularly among women, children, and other nutritionally vulnerable groups,” she explained.
She added, “Sight and Life Foundation is an organisation that works to improve nutrition for humans. The foundation supports research, scientific evidence, and helps scale up innovations in partnership with organisations working in similar areas.”
Continuing, she said, “We are here to discuss how we can best use these findings in the interest of the people of Nigeria. This gathering builds on the previous meeting we held in October last year, where we reviewed study findings on phytase.
“Basically, our main objective is to ensure that when you eat, the nutrients in food get into your system. In Nigeria, we eat a lot of cereals and pap. Some contain nutrients like iron and zinc, but they are not properly absorbed because of phytic acid in the food.
“What phytase does is break down phytic acid so that these nutrients can be absorbed and used by the body.”
She encouraged the use of foods that naturally reduce phytic acid through fermentation, such as fermented sorghum and garri, which help improve nutrient availability.
According to her, phytase is crucial because many staple foods, such as maize, wheat, and beans, contain nutrients that are not fully absorbed due to the presence of phytic acid.
“So, what phytase does is degrade phytic acid and unlock micronutrients so the body can make use of them,” she concluded.
A researcher and lecturer from the Department of Biochemistry, Bayero University Kano, Kamaluddeen Babagana, said stakeholders discussed unlocking the potential of phytase.
“Phytase breaks down phytate, which prevents some essential nutrients from being absorbed after we eat food.
“These nutrients include iron, which helps the body produce red blood cells and supports oxygen transport. It also interferes with the absorption of zinc and amino acids needed for protein synthesis. Using phytase helps improve nutrient absorption from foods we consume,” he said.
Also speaking, the State Coordinator of Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), Samuel Akinyode, said stakeholders are exploring ways to improve nutrition outcomes using phytase.
Corroborating other stakeholders, Food Technology Manager at Sight and Life Foundation, Daniel Amanquah, said phytase is an enzyme that reduces phytic acid in foods.
“We are currently piloting this intervention and hope it will eventually be incorporated into food products in Nigeria. Many cereal-based foods contain anti-nutritional factors such as phytic acid, which reduce nutrient availability. Phytase breaks down phytic acid, making nutrients more available for absorption,” he said.
Amanquah added that phytase is added during food processing at factories, such as in bread or pap production.
According to him, the enzyme becomes deactivated during processing, meaning the final product does not contain active phytase. He also noted that phytase has no known side effects and is already used internationally.
The food technologist explained that phytase complements food fortification by ensuring that added nutrients are not blocked from absorption by phytic acid.
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