'Pakistan facing high post-harvest losses by 40 percent'

Pakistan is facing high post-harvest losses ranging from 20 to 40 percent. On the other hand, low value addition from 3 to 5 percent of total food production has also become a matter of concern, said speakers at the Food Development Competition 2011, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF).
The competition was organised by National Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFSAT), UAF in collaboration with Pakistan Society of Food Scientists and Technologists Nestle Pakistan Limited, Pakistan at Nestle Hall. UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan presided over the competition while Professor Dr Jean Francios Grongnet Agrocampusm Rennes, Frances was the chief guest on the occasion,
As many as 67 products were displayed by different groups of the students, including 10 from Government College University, Faisalabad. On the basis of the results finalised by judges, 13 cash prizes given to the top 13 products of the competition. NIFSAT Director General Dr Faqir Muhamad Anjum, while speaking on the occasion, said that the food scientists were involved in everything we eat. In addition, they are also involved in developing new products, he added. He said that every year more than one million new food products were being launched globally. Even then, many products don't succeed. A new product is one that is totally new or a different version of something already in the market.
He said that newly developed foods needed to appear a particular market segment keeping in view the changing lifestyles, convenience, health or fitness, age, status, changing demographics and many other reasons as determined by the market research. Food product development is one of the many career areas of food science. It is a team effort and requires input from many sources and consumers are important component of food product development, he added.
The main objective of the current activity is to create entrepreneurship skills among the students. Moreover, this activity can play an important role in local brand building, which can boost up our exports. Different tasks were assigned to the students about 3 months ago, keeping in view the trends in modern world by using the competition, the newly developed product should be processed food. The products were divided into four categories: fruits and vegetables, beverages, milk and meat based products and baked products. The participating teams were from Food Technology and home economics discipline.