Challenges and Prospects of Traditional Food Processing Technologies and their Products in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper focuses on challenges and prospects of traditional food processing technologies and their products in Nigeria. The major objective of the paper is to identify the challenges confronting traditional food processing technologies as well as the potentials the traditional food processing technologies has in boosting the economy of the nation, if well harnessed to enhance food security in Nigeria. Following this abstract are eleven other sections of the paper. Section I is the introduction aspect, Section II is on conceptualization of the operational terms, Section III
highlights on traditional foods in Nigeria, section IV talks about traditional food processing technologies, section V centered on traditional food products and their characteristics, section VI focuses on challenges of traditional food processing technologies and their products, and section
VII is on prospects of traditional food processing and their products. Section VIII lays emphasis on Women, youth and children in traditional food processing, section IX elaborates on the issues of standardizations, nutritional values and acceptability while Section X provides the conclusions as well as posits the recommendation on interventions needed to strengthen the capacity of traditional food processing technologies towards achieving food security and industrialisation in Nigeria.

Key words: Food processing, Food security, Industrialisation