25th Indian Convention of Food Scientists & Technologists inaugurated

 

Amritsar, November 10 (Punjab Post Bureau) –  A three-day Conference, 25^th Indian Convention of Food Scientists and Technologists (ICFoST XXV) was inaugurated here today in the Dasmesh Auditroium of the Guru Nanak Dev University. This convention is being organized jointly by the University, Association of Food Scientists and Technologist, India (AFSTI), Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysuru and Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL), Mysuru. It will  conclude on November 12. A large number of food scientists from all over India are participating and would present their research papers.

            Dr. Girish Sahini, Director General, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, Prof. A.S. Brar, Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Narpinder Singh, Chairman, Organizing Committee and President, AFSTI, Prof. Ram Rajasekharan, Director, CSIR-CFTRI; Dr. Rakesh Kumar Sharma, Director, DRDO-DFRL and Dr. AK Srivastav, Director, ICAR-NDRI inaugurated the convention by lighting candles. Prof. Ram Rajesekharan and other guests released the souvenir while Dr. Rakesh Kumar Sharma inaugurated the poster session. Dr. A.K. Srivastav inaugurated the food expo. Dr BB Borse, organizing secretary gave the details about the organization and Prof. Balmeet Singh Gill of the University and the organizing secretary presented vote of thanks.

In his inaugural address, Dr. Girish Sahini said that the deliberation should reconcile the bottom line with the need for ecologically and socially responsible practices. He said that we all agree that reaching towards the goal of sustainable agriculture or industry is the responsibility of all the participants in the system like farmers, workers, industries, policy makers, researchers, retailers and consumers. He said that our natural resources are depleting and soil is becoming degraded because excessive use of pesticides and fertilizers. It also effected water table. He said that there is need for sustainable agriculture which aims at  judicious use of natural resources so that future generation could be benefitted. He said that we need to fix our focus from not making India food security but also to enhance nutricious food for all.

Prof. Brar said that Guru Nanak Dev University has excelled in academics, research, sports and cultural activities and is among the best Universities of the country. He said that to encourage research, University has established emerging life science block which has expensive scientific equipments and the optimum use of these scientific equipments has resulted in quality research. He said that all possible support and help would be given for organizing this type of program in future.

Dr. Narpinder Singh said that this convention focuses on food professing for sustainable agriculture and industry and the challenges in front of agriculture and food industry will be discussed. He said that the agriculture and food industry has to go together to make the agriculture sustainable. He said that a great challenge in future will be to feed nutritious and safe food to the ever increasing population. He said that our food industry is facing difficulty in competing in the international challenge with the food industry from other countries particularly in spite of fact that we have diversity or raw material available with us.

Prof. Ram Rajasekharan, Director, CSIR-CFTRI; Dr. Rakesh Kumar Sharma, Director DRDO-DFRL and Dr. AK Srivastav,Director ICAR-NDRI are the eminent resource persons for the convention. Prof. Narpinder Singh,  Chairman, Organizing Committee and President, AFSTI announced the theme “Food Processing for Sustainable Agriculture & Industry (Food Pro SAI)”  being hosted by AFSTI Amritsar Chapter at the Department of Food Science and Technology of the University.

The program is spread over 14 technical sessions in which delegates are invited to deliver an interactive talk on the key issues relating to food science, food engineering, food biochemistry, nutraceuticals, biotechnology, food microbiology and also the entrepreneurial aspects such as food safety and standards; entrepreneurship and skills development. With the aim of providing a promising platform to the budding researchers, a special session for Ph.D. students is being organized for presenting and discussing their work.

AFSTI also organized a joint session with American Association of Cereal Chemist on Grain Science & Technology in which Dr Anne R Bridges, Technical Director, AACCI delivered a talk on GMO’s – in the plant breeders toolbox and Dr Narpinder Singh on Pulses diversity and challenges in India. Since 2016 has been announced as Pulse years by FAO. Dr Bio-based food products from agricultural biomass; Dr. Madhav P Yadav, ARS, USDA delivered talk on Bio-based food products from agricultural biomass.

Dr. K.A Anu Appaiah announced the awards. AFST Fellows to Dr. NK Rastogi from Mysore; Prof. G.S Baisns Award to Dr. Sudhir Singh from Mumbai; Prof. Jiwan Singh Sidhu Award to Dr. G Venkateswarlu from Mumbai; Subhash Bhatnagar Memorial Award to Dr. A Nagender from Mysore; Dr. J.S Pruthi Award to Dr. P.C Sharma from Palampur University; Young Scientist award to Dr. Shalini S Arya from Mumbai and AFST Education & Publication turst Scharships were given to Ms. Vrushti Shah and Ms. Aroshi Sharma on this occasion.