A comprehensive food quality training session was held in Karachi, organized by the Sindh Food Authority in collaboration with Nutrition International. The event aimed to enhance the skills of food safety officers, focusing on the fortification of edible oils, the prevention of substandard oil use, and methods for ensuring the safety and quality of food products available to the public.
The training covered essential topics such as oil fortification, best practices for sample collection, quality assurance principles, and techniques for testing Vitamin A levels in edible oils.
Keynote speaker, Muzamil Hussain Halepoto, Director General of the Sindh Food Authority, emphasized the importance of maintaining essential nutrients like Vitamin A and D at safe levels in edible oils to ensure public health safety. Halepoto addressed the pressing issue of loose edible oils, which are still being sold in markets, posing significant health risks.
He highlighted the dangers of repeatedly reusing cooking oil, which further exacerbates these health hazards. The Sindh Food Authority is committed to curbing these practices through stringent regulations and regular monitoring.
The Director General also noted the staggering 7.8 billion spent annually on diseases caused by nutritional deficiencies and announced ongoing collaborations with local NGOs and welfare organizations to tackle the issue. With 45 active teams working across 30 districts of Sindh, the Sindh Food Authority is stepping up efforts to safeguard public health. Furthermore, Halepoto mentioned that the authority is actively addressing the health risks posed by Ajinomoto (Chinese salt), having recently seized five sacks of the substance in Hyderabad. The Food Authority’s commitment to upholding food safety standards.
