Speakers at 3rd seminar on "Food" have called for promoting research, quality control and certification programmes to ensure food quality and boost country's exports of Halal food. They said that Pakistan is world leading food-producing country and it can earn enormous foreign exchange by producing quality Halal food for both domestic and export purposes.
The seminar, with a theme Halal Food Innovation and Food Safety, was organised by Pegasus Consultancy alongside 8th PLASTI & PACK and IFTECH 2011, at Karachi Expo Centre on Wednesday. Pro-vice chancellor of University of Karachi, Professor Dr Shahana Urooj Kazmi, while speaking as a chief guest said that the university, in collaboration with the industry and government can serve as a "centre" to facilitate the research, quality control and certification for Halal food in the country.
She said that Pakistan National Accreditation Council (PNAC) has indicated its desire to create a "quality control centre" for food and other merchandises at Karachi University. "They have contacted us for this purpose as we have laboratories, scientists and researchers. Karachi University is ready to undertake this task," she added. Professor Kazmi said that with 25,000 students, 23 excellence centres and over 700 leading scientists and teachers, KU is well poised for this facility.
Halal industry people will need research and testing facilities for their products and the teachers and students of postgraduate science classes are ideal for this purpose. Director Grain Quality Testing Laboratory, Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) Dr Mubarik Ahmed called for amending and improving existing obsolete food laws to ensure safety of food and health of people.
Partner of Halal Industry Research Centre (HIRC) Raheel Iqbal, while talking of Halal Standards said that his centre is ready to provide training in Halal food technology and Halal food product development. Dr Muhammad Naeemullah Naeem of Popular Foods said that Pakistan, being a Muslim country needs to produce Halal ingredients to reduce dependence on their imports from non-Muslims. Bangladesh is producing its own gelatin from Halal ingredients.-PR