Food firm gets Unicef seal of approval

A CITY company has been accredited by Unicef to make food for children in drought-stricken countries and when humanitarian aid is needed.

The Capricorn Park factory in Muizenberg was officially opened yesterday.

The peanut-based semi-liquid meal is packaged in a sachet and can be stored for up to two years.

The meal contains easily available energy, micronutrients and high-quality proteins. The product has been designed specifically for extremely malnourished children between two and six years. Its recipe is based on a formula developed by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Compact South Africa chief executive Guy Baxter said yesterday they are fulfilling their first order on behalf of Unicef to deliver the meals to North Korea.

Baxter said they can produce around 3 000 tons of the meals a year, which contains roasted peanuts, skimmed milk powder, sugar, vegetable oils, minerals, emulsifier, vitamins and antioxidants.

Consumed directly from the sachet, it is a semi-liquid paste food product whose nutritional composition complies with the WHO, the World Food Programme and Unicef specifications for ready-to-use foods.

The Norwegian-South African company is the most advanced Unicef-accredited facility which produces ready-to-use therapeutic foods for children suffering from severe or acute malnutrition, company spokesperson Sandra Sowray said.

“At current levels we produce 3 000 tons of our paste products a year for shipping to the global destination that needs it.“