When Ruth Oyibode saw seasoning adverts promising a blend of fresh pepper, onions, and celery but delivering nothing close in the final product, she knew something was off.
That curiosity sparked a journey into the world of natural food processing, and today, she’s the founder of Ruthish Natural Foods, a thriving business that crafts organic seasonings and cereal foods from super seeds.
In this interview with Rita Oyiboka, she shares the inspiration behind her products, the challenges of running a clean food business in Nigeria, and why she believes real health starts with what’s on your plate.
Can you introduce yourself?
I’m Ruth Oyibode, founder of Ruthish Natural Foods. I’ve been in food processing for over six years, focusing on seasonings for the past three.
What does your business entail?
First, let me explain my type of food processing. I make food seasonings from super seeds. Aside from seasonings, I also make cereal foods for children. When we say cereal food, we’re talking about things like soya beans, Tom Brown, and others that are processed differently but still fall under cereal.
In addition to that, we also sell organic seeds, these same super seeds. We mix things like chia seed, flax seed, sesame seed, pumpkin seed, and so on.
How did you get into the industry? Did you study for it, or did you learn from someone already in the sector?
I studied Food Technology during my NCE in Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba. But beyond school, it requires a lot of practical patience. It’s not an easy process. There’s a lot of science involved, measurements, proportions, and if you get it wrong, you can harm someone. So I also undertook additional training outside of formal education to refine my skills. I went for professional training in food processing, specifically on organic food production and preservation techniques.
What sparked your interest in making seasonings from super seeds?
Whenever I watched seasoning adverts on television, I noticed they usually show pepper, onion, celery, and various vegetables being combined. But in reality, we don’t see these ingredients in the final product, the seasonings always come out black.
One day, I dissolved a seasoning cube in water, expecting to see traces of pepper or tomato, but there was nothing. Just some residue of salt at the bottom and a layer of oil at the top.
That made me suspicious. I tried it with another cube, the chicken variety, and it was the same result. The only difference was the colour, a yellowish hue from the supposed “chicken” content. That made me realise we were not being told the truth.
These synthetic seasonings are hard but real organic seasoning is soft and cannot survive outside cold temperature.
Eventually, I realised things weren’t being put together the way the adverts showed. That made me curious. I began to dig deeper and discovered there’s more to seasonings than we see out there. Most of the ones on the market are made with MSG, monosodium glutamate.
But what we do is seasoning without MSG. We also offer versions with MSG, but we provide an option without it, especially for people who don’t want MSG for health reasons.
I’ve also stopped using tomato paste entirely, about eight years ago. If I need tomato, I just buy the fresh fruits, blend them with onion, and make my stew. It’s more authentic and tastes better.
Speaking of MSG, the medical sector used to warn against it. But recently, there’s been a shift. Some now say it’s not as bad as once thought. What’s your take on that?
Yes, the current argument is that MSG isn’t harmful when it’s organically sourced. For instance, fresh tomatoes and onions naturally contain some level of umami taste, which is essentially what MSG represents. That umami is the savoury taste we find pleasing in food.
So, ideally, when you combine things like onion and different types of pepper, you can naturally arrive at that umami flavour. But in the open market, the primary ingredient in most seasonings, including the cubes and sachets is Ajinomoto, which is chemically manufactured MSG.
The issue is that the production process is often compromised. You don’t get the right nutrient matrix from them. But when you get the umami from natural sources, combining fresh, whole ingredients, it’s better. That’s why people now say it’s “not that bad”, but only when it’s naturally sourced.
Some argue that good chefs should do away with modern seasonings entirely and stick to traditional seasonings, like fermented locust beans and herbs. What are your thoughts?
That’s very true. Traditional seasonings are healthier. They’re well-fermented, naturally made, and properly processed. Unlike seasoning cubes, which are mostly made from synthetic flavourings.
If you go to the markets where they sell these things, you’ll see ginger in yellow colour, but ginger powder is never yellow naturally. I process ginger and garlic, dehydrate and grind them myself. The aroma hits you instantly, even from a distance. You can tell it’s pure.
But the synthetic ones, they combine chemicals and use artificial flavourings to mimic the real aroma. It’s not authentic. So yes, traditional seasonings are better.
But what’s so bad about synthetic seasonings? Do they have any negative effects on human health?
We’re seeing a rise in sicknesses, cancer, especially, which wasn’t this common years ago. When we start tracing the causes, we find it links back to the synthetic foods people consume. The body isn’t equipped to process so many artificial substances, and that creates health problems over time.
People no longer seek out natural ways to maintain their health. They just want magical fixes, and that’s where the trouble begins.
Despite their negative effects, many insist synthetic ingredients are unavoidable, additives in bread, preservatives in rice and other staple foods across Nigeria. So, in today’s world, can we truly escape synthetic food?
As much as you can, try to cut down on synthetic food. For instance, I prepare my children’s food packs myself. I make cereal with all the nutrients they need. The only thing I buy is milk, which I can’t get fresh around here. If I lived in the North where fresh milk was available, I would certainly process it myself.
Of course, there are things we can’t completely avoid, like bread but the idea is to limit these as much as possible, for your own health.
This niche, organic seasoning, is still emerging. How do you get people to accept your products, especially when they’re used to regular seasoning cubes?
Most of my customers are health-conscious individuals. Also when people ask what it’s all about, we explain. Some buy our products just for taste. Our seasonings are delicious. But others buy them because they know the health benefits. We can’t force everyone to understand, but those who do, stick with us.
As taste is a major factor in consumer choices, does your organic seasoning taste as good as the synthetic ones?
It’s not exactly the same. The synthetic ones have a sharper, punchier taste because of all the chemicals, especially the MSG. People won’t buy pure Ajinomoto alone, but they’ll consume it unknowingly in their seasoning cubes and sachets.
Those cubes and sachets also contain food colouring, especially the red colour you see in some stews. That’s not healthy either. Real food colouring should come from turmeric or paprika, which are both natural and safe. But many people only want colour without knowing the dangers.
Having been off synthetic seasonings and tomato paste for years now, have you noticed any changes in your health and that of your children?
Well, for one, we hardly fall sick. I don’t do frozen food. If I’m making soup, it should be for just that next day and the next, because I believe that’s the healthier way to live, not packing the freezer with tubs of soup and then waiting.
Personally, I hardly have to deal with health issues. Even when I had my babies, I barely needed blood. I hardly ever required a transfusion because I was always fine.
Sometimes, when I talk about it, people say, “Ah, no wonder! Look at your body.” And I just smile, because sometimes we don’t even see the full effect of what we’re doing until someone else points it out. I know it helps us stay healthy because these are not just seasonings, they’re also medicinal. A lot of medicines are made from them. That’s why I believe it keeps us healthy.
What challenges have you faced since starting the business?
It hasn’t been easy, just like any other business. Getting started was the biggest hurdle. But God has been faithful.
When we started, we were producing flours, like bean flour, okpa flour, cassava flour, and others. At that time, beans were still affordable, about ₦120 or ₦150 per measure. We could process and package a full bucket of processed beans for ₦1,000, because a full bucket of raw beans then was just a little over ₦1,000.
But as prices went up, the demand dropped, and we had to branch into other products. With cereals, it began with just soya-based ones, then we added Tom Brown, then Super Kid cereal, Super Mum cereal, and many others. That’s how we gradually grew into those products.
Then, about three years ago, I sat down and evaluated things, and I decided to go fully into seasoning. Before that, I had already been trying out different methods on my own, looking for ways to get the taste I wanted from my food without relying on synthetic additives.
Where do you see your business going? What are your hopes for the future?
I look forward to a time when everyone will enjoy natural seasonings. I hope to have a proper factory, a good space, where we can run our operations fully. I also want us to go beyond Asaba. We already have customers outside the state who patronise us for drying, dehydrating, and seasoning. So we’re growing, and I look forward to becoming even bigger than we already are.
What’s your advice to people who don’t pay attention to these “little things” in food and nutrition? And what about people who want to start eating healthy? What’s the first step, given how easily available processed foods are today?
Before you put anything into your mouth, ask yourself how healthy it is. It’s not like I never drink Soda or similar things, but I try to limit how often I do so, just to avoid health complications.
Many people don’t even realise they are living with health issues. This isn’t just about saying “God forbid” and praying, it’s about understanding what health actually means. You can’t eat anything and everything that comes your way without knowing its effect.
And for those who want to start eating healthy, it’s never too late. You can start anytime. Within just a few weeks, you can start to reverse or manage the damage that may have been caused. Natural foods help manage existing health conditions. For example, people living with diabetes can opt for natural options like fenugreek and other seeds. These help manage and even reduce the effects of the condition over time. But most people don’t know this. They prefer to rely only on medications, which they take every day, yet the recovery is much slower.
There’s still time to make the switch. For me, it’s about making healthier choices, not just going after what tastes sweet in the mouth.
