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FAISALABAD, Jul 23 (APP):Food safety and food security awareness is imperative to ensure equitable and nutritious diet to all and sundry through prudent and proactive policy initiatives, said Acting President Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI) Dr. Sajjad Arshad.
Addressing a seminar on “The Impact of Food Safety and Food Security on Human Health”, he said that although Pakistan is an agrarian economy ranked 8th in wheat, 5th in poultry and 10th in rice production but still 42% children face stunted growth.
“Similarly, 90 million people are living below the poverty line”, he said and added that they are denied access to an adequate quantity of nutritional diet. He said that in poultry farming if we disrupt the feeding chain, the graph of chicken growth tumbles down. He also voiced concern about children under the age of 5 years who are facing food insecurity and as a result remain deficient in mental and physical growth.
Dr. Mahr-un-Nisa, Chairperson Department of Nutritional Sciences, Government College University Faisalabad (GCUF), said that Islam allows the storage of food for one year at a personal level which could help reduce the problems of food safety and food security.
She said that according to a survey conducted by PhD students, 300 to 400 children were admitted to a local children’s hospital in only 3-4 days who were suffering from neurological and gastro issues.
Dr Huma Umbreen, Assistant Professor, Department of Nutritional Sciences GCUF, gave a detailed presentation highlighting the importance of food safety and food security.
Dr Saad Bin Mustafa, an oilseed scientist, emphasized the importance of edible oil and said that it was an essential element for the proper growth of the human body.
Later, Vice President FCCI Muhammad Aslam Bhalli offered the vote of thanks while Acting President Dr. Sajjad Arshad presented an FCCI shield to Madam Mahr-un-Nisa.