| Nutrition Division |
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WHO Food Safety Site Codex Alimentarius Food Standards Chemical Risks in Food Water Sampling Procedures adopted by NIH using WHO recommendations Introduction: Nutrition Division has been entrusted with the duty of monitoring and surveillance of nutrition in the country. The division has undertaken specific programmes for the control of malnutrition. It acts as advisory body to the Federal Government for food and nutrition policies and future planning. The division actively participates in the development of Food Standards and Pure Food Laws. It monitors the food quality control of both processed and unprocessed foods in the country. It also acts as Reference Laboratory at national levels. The activities of the division are in line with the following functions of the Institute spelled out in the Ordinance No. XL III of 1980: § To conduct research on applied nutrition like Clinical Nutrition and Food Analysis and undertake nutrition education programme § To advise the Federal Government to developing food standards and Pure Food Laws in collaboration with the international agencies like the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization. Objectives: The overall objective of the Division is to assist the Government in monitoring the national nutrition status and implementation of the food standards. Routine Services Provided Routine samples received from various organizations/individuals for different Foods (raw, cooked & processed) and drinking water etc. The details are as under:- PUBLIC ANALYST LABORATORY 11,289 tests of different food commodities were received from Food Inspectors, Directorate of Health Services, CDA and District Health Officer ICT, Islamabad. The tests were carried out in accordance with legal requirement of Pure Food Rules (1965), so as to ensure the availability wholesomeness of food to the local population, besides curbing food adulteration. ANALYSIS OF FOOD AND FOOD PRODUCTS: 3197 tests of various food commodities were analyzed, which were received from public and private sector. The commodities include wheat, wheat flour, vegetable oil/ghee, milk honey and other miscellaneous items. The food samples were analyzed for its quality. STUDIES ON DRINKING WATER QUALITY: 679 samples of drinking water were analyzed for various physico-chemical parameters e.g. color, odor, pH, conductivity, total dissolved solids, hardness, Calcium, Magnesium, Calcium, Sulphate, Chloride, Sodium, Potassium, Nitrate and Nitrite contents so as to ascertain the quality of drinking water. BACTERIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF FOOD AND WATER: 823 tests of food and 3517of water were analyzed for bacteriological examination. MONITORING OF IODIZED SALT/RESEARCH During the period under report a total No. of 4948 salt samples were collected from local markets of Rawalpindi/Islamabad and analyzed to determine the quality of Iodized salt. Further work is in progress. NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAMME FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN: The school going children of Rawalpindi/Islamabad are being given lectures so as to make them aware of the basic facts concerning health and nutrition. The activity is in progress. During the period under report 35 lectures in different schools have been delivered. Achievements: Iodine Test Kit: Nutrition Division has developed a semi-quantitative testing kit to be used in the field surveys and in process quality control of iodized salt. The division received an order for the supply of kits. During the period under report 30040 kits were supplied to UNCIEF, Islamabad. Hospital diet manual and food composition tablets: Hospital diet manual has been developed and printed for the patients admitted in the hospitals suffering with different diseases/disorder. Food composition database has been adopted for the development of National Food Composition Tables, Food Composition Tables on proximate energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate values, minerals and vitamin contents the foods. This will assist in computing diet having suitable nutrient contents for various age groups. Collaboration with other academic organizations: The division has been actively collaborating with Pakistan Standard Institution, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of Pakistan, Karachi, for framing standards for various food and food product. Students of M.Sc. Biochemistry/ Biological Sciences completed their research work in the laboratories of the division to complete their research work. The following research studies were conducted: · Air Food Safety Control, current situation of Pakistan International Airports and reported effects on passenger’s health. · Nutrition assessment and surveillance of serum electrolytes in patients with cardiovascular disorders. · Effect of storage temperature on the concentration of vitamin C in some common varieties of citrus fruits from Punjab. · Effect of storage temperature on available carbohydrates in some common varieties of citrus fruits. · Evaluation of food safety applying HACCP methodology in hospital catering. · Assessment of quality of drinking water of Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Kamra. Future plans/Goals The division has prepared PC-1’s for the following projects, which are in accordance with the policies laid down in the 9th Five Year Plan and National Health Policy. i. Strengthening of food quality control in Pakistan. ii. Iron fortification of wheat flour. The Planning & Development Division, Islamabad, has prepared this project with collaboration of Nutrition Division, NIH, Islamabad. iii. Improvement of nutrition through Primary Health Care Research Component to be implemented by the Nutrition Division. iv. The project “Improvement of Nutrition through Primary Health Care and Strengthening of Food Quality Control in Pakistan” has been approved and the following activities are being under taken: a. Surveillance and Strengthening of Vitamin-A fortification and Quality Assurance in edible oil and Banaspati ghee. The HPLC has been calibrated to determine Vitamin -A in banaspati/edible oils, further work is in progress. b. Supplementation of single dose of Vitamin-A and monitoring of serum retinal levels in women during lactation. Dummy test on serum are being run. Questionnaire has been constructed and pre-testing will be conducted and thereafter women will be registered for the study. c. Identification and estimation of goitrogenic substances in food and water. Preliminary work on detection of goitrogens in food and water is underway. v. WHO / JPRM Biennium 2002-03 Nutrition and Food Safety. The following activities have been undertaken during the period under report: 1. Two days meeting for provincial focal points to develop frame work for national food safety plan. 2. One day consultation meeting on National Food Safety Plan.
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