Symposium on 'Technological and nutritional aspects of dairy products'

It is a serious concern that people, across the county hardly find pure milk despite the fact that Pakistan was one of largest milk-producing countries.
This was stated by University of Agriculture Faisalabad(UAF) Vice-Chancellor Professor (Dr) Iqrar Ahmad Khan while talking to participants of the international symposium titled "Technological and nutritional aspects of value-added dairy products" arranged by National Institute of Food Sciences and Technology (NIFSAT), UAF. It was the part of the food festival kicked off at the UAF Exhibition Centre and its adjacent ground on Wednesday.
The VC also called for preventing the wastage in handling of the milk. Only five percent of milk is processed whereas the rest is left on the mercy of traditional methods causing bacteria, he lamented. He said the country was blessed with the 70 million goats and buffaloes but we are not utilizing their benefits properly. He said that the country was facing serious nutrition crisis.
Talking about the climate changes, he said melting glaciers, temperature increment and other factors are posing the serious threat of food security as the sustainability of environment is the real challenge. Tangible efforts are afoot on the part of university in the shape of tangible researches and outreach programme. He also lauded the steps being taken by the government and international donors in the development projects, research and outreach programmes of the university.
Council for Co-operation and Cultural Affairs Embassy of France Martine Herlem Hamidi said that Pakistan was under the grip of the food insecurity. She said that value addition can help the country to tap the economic opportunities as a step towards the development. She said that the climate changes had started playing havoc with the lives of the people and demanded the collaborated efforts to tackle the issue. She said that they are going to organise global conference on climate changes next year. She said the festival will help in coming up to the solution to the dairy sector and to highlight the potential in dairy sector.
Government College Women University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Naureen Aziz Qureshi said that food sector needs to be developed that will not only increase the nutrition but also help in poverty alleviation. She said that special measures are needed to end the adulteration and increase the production in order to progress in the country.