DLP Report
PESHAWAR
The Director General of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority Kashif Iqbal Jilani said on Wednesday that provision of safe, quality and healthy food was a shared responsibility of the government, regulators, industry and other stakeholders,
He was speaking at a one-day training session on the mandatory fortification of edible oil with vitamins A and D, organised for owners and representatives of edible oil mills at the Committee Room of the Food Authority here.
The training was organised in collaboration with Nutrition International and focused on edible oil quality, quality assurance, quality control, food safety protocols and mandatory fortification with vitamins A and D.
Director Operations Halal Food Authority Muhammad Yousaf Khan, Provincial Manager Nutrition International Imtiaz Ali Shah, Associate Professor at the University of Agriculture Peshawar Dr Yasir Durrani, representatives of edible oil mills and other experts attended the session.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Shah gave a detailed presentation on the prevailing situation of malnutrition in the province and highlighted various initiatives being undertaken by Nutrition International to address malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies in the province.
Dr Durrani briefed participants on the importance of mandatory edible oil fortification, its nutritional benefits and its potential impact on public health.
He said adding essential vitamins to edible oil in appropriate quantities could help address nutritional deficiencies, particularly those of vitamins A and D. He stressed the need to maintain prescribed standards, appropriate fortification levels, effective quality control and food safety measures throughout the process.
Participants were also briefed on quality assurance, quality control and food safety protocols for edible oil mills to ensure the availability of safe, quality and nutritious edible oil in the market.
During an interactive session, representatives of the oil industry shared suggestions and highlighted practical challenges in implementing the fortification process. They also proposed measures to improve coordination between industry stakeholders and regulatory authorities.
Mr Jilani said edible oil was an important component of the daily diet and ensuring its safety, quality and nutritional value was essential for public health.
He urged all stakeholders to work closely with the Food Authority to ensure the provision of safe and healthy food to consumers, saying stronger cooperation between industry and regulators could help improve food safety standards and promote nutritious food products.
The DG welcomed the suggestions put forward by industry representatives and said their proposals and practical challenges would be considered while developing a coordinated strategy for effective implementation of mandatory fortification.
He said the role of the Food Authority was not limited to inspections and enforcement, but also included awareness, training and technical support for industry stakeholders to strengthen the overall food safety and quality system.
The session concluded with a call for continued coordination among the Food Authority, Nutrition International, academia and the edible oil industry for effective implementation of mandatory fortification and ensuring the availability of safe, quality and nutritious edible oil to consumers.
