KARACHI, May 14: Speakers, including food researchers and processors, at a seminar stressed the need for maximum utilization of food chemistry to get the best return on agricultural and continental fruits, which grow in abundance in the country.
They noted that due to poor infrastructure and lack of value added technologies a good size of valuable fruits and vegetables get destroyed every year and cannot be preserved for long. This is a major problem in the agro-sector, which can be addressed by ensuring a close collaboration between the researchers, academia and industries.
The seminar on ‘Impact of Industrially Oriented Research in Food Chemistry’ was organized by the National Core Group in Chemistry and Division of Food Research, HEJ Institute of Chemistry on Saturday. The chairman of Export Promotion Bureau, Tariq Ikram, presided over the seminar.
The dean of the Sciences Faculty, University of Karachi, Dr Mohammad Qaiser, underlined the need for coordination between universities, research organizations and the industry in various fields of food science, food chemistry and nutrition.
This would give tremendous boost not only to the industries in question, but also would play a significant role in the economic activities of the country, he observed.
The Director, Statistics and Planning, Marine Fisheries department, Moazzam Khan, said fisheries was one of the oldest industries of the country, but there seemed to be literally no progress as far as its practices were concerned.
A major metamorphosis has taken place since 1998 when international requirements got stringent and it became mandatory upon the seafood industry to follow strict quality control under the European Commission’s directives, among other measures, he added.
Mr Khan said at present about 400,000 tonnes of seafood was harvested annually and about 100,000 tonnes was exported generating annual revenue of $150 million. The potential of fisheries export is estimated to be about $2 billion.
He quoted a foreign expert saying that 80 per cent of fish in Pakistan get unfit for human consumption before leaving the landing centre, adding that Pakistani scientists could help reduce such losses.
The organizing secretary of the seminar, Dr Rashida Ali, said chemical reactions were constantly taking place in food systems and scientists had to understand those reactions to get desired results and to manipulate them.
She said it was high time to provide opportunities of higher education and training to young food technologists already in service, who might chalk out a joint programme leading to MPhil/PHD degrees.
The EPB Chairman, Tariq Ikram, said the agriculture industry was part of the developing phase of the country, and as such there was a need to prioritize targets to enhance its growth. He suggested an increase in the functional use of products and creation of value by using indigenous materials.
He said the EPB supported all kinds of activities for a strong collaboration between food industries and research organizations, as it was essential to properly process food products to international standards. Some locally produced fruits and vegetables can easily be processed for export purposes.
Representatives from industries, were of the view that a forum or framework should be established between universities and research institutes, and the industry especially in the food segment be developed to achieve higher standards and opportunities for higher production.
They said there was a need to educate available human resources in the field on global changes, standards and food safety legislations and make them fit in line with market requirements. They also lamented the fact that the country did not have any legislation on food hygiene.
Dr M Iqbal Choudhary, acting director of HEJ institute, Qaiser Alam, Mujeebur Rehman, Dr Mifta Ismail, Dr M Khalid Khan, Dr Shakil Ahmad also spoke at the seminar.
