Sargodha: A two-day International Food and Nutrition Conference kick started at Sargodha University on Tuesday to raise awareness against social and economic consequences of malnutrition.
The conference and food expo are being organized by the Institute of Food Sciences and Nutrition of the University in which researchers, academics scientists and food experts from USA, UK, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Iran are participating.
The conference aimed at sharing latest advances, knowledge and technologies regarding food production and nutrition. The event also provided a platform to bring together leading academic scientists, industry and research scholars to exchange and share their experiences and research results about all aspects of food science and nutrition.
The conference is organized around different themes including Food Processing and Preservation, Post-harvest Technology, Food Waste Management, Food Security, Safety and Quality, Food Microbiology and Biotechnology, Food Chemistry, Food Service and Management, Halal Foods, Functional and Medicinal Foods, Public Health Nutrition, Clinical Nutrition,Industrial Nutrition and Indigenous Pakistani Foods.
Dr Keshavan Niranjan from University of Reading, UK shared his thoughts on “Food engineering research – wherefrom? And where to?” He said, “With chronic diseases becoming the major societal concern, and diet preferences being a major cause of chronic diseases, the link between food and health has become the dominant driver for food engineering research in the twenty first century.”
Dr Zulkifli Khair from Universiti Teknologi, Malaysia presented his research on “Global issue on food insecurity in higher education institutes” and suggested researchers to conduct more systemic studies in college and universities worldwide, and recommend comprehensive and sustainable solutions including holistic empowerment on food assistant programs.
Aslam Shaheen, Chief Nutrition, Pakistan addressing the event said that getting safe food had become an international issue, particularly in developing countries where the situation was worsening day by day. He said unsafe food was putting adverse impacts on human life and increasing death ratio.
Dr Masoos Sadiq, President, Pakistan Society of Food Scientists and Technologists shared his research on “Novel trends in functional foods and nutraceutical: role in economic development”. He said that developing countries can supply functional foods in the global market and gain economic returns by introducing therapeutic compounds from the indigenous raw materials. It is also helpful for farming community in developing links with private sector, he added.
Dr Javed Aziz, Country Director, IFANCA, Pakistan shared his research on “Halal and Tayyab – path to prosperity”. He said that Muslims constitute world’s second largest religious group and make up about 24% of the world population with 1.8 billion adherents.As the Muslim population surges, the Islamic or the Halal economy is expected to grow from $1.24 trillion in 2016 to reach $1.93 trillion by 2022. The preference of Muslims is always Halal or Sharia compliant products, hence more opportunities in this sector.
Dr Anjum Murtaza, Director Institute of Food Science and Nutrition said that the aim was to discuss the issues relating to the agricultural sector and their solutions. He said the conference had been organized to raise awareness on social and economic consequences of malnutrition.
A large number of young food scientists and technologists from public and private sector institutes, industry, and R&D organization also delivered their research findings and shared their ideas through oral and poster presentations.
