Nutrition Division

To curb the menace of food adulteration by ensuring safety and quality of food by providing our quality services to Public, Private and other variety of clients like DHO/Food Department ICT, CDA Islamabad, DFC/DI AJK, PIA, CSD, POF Wah, OGDCL, Utility Store Corporation, Customs, Manufacturers, NGOs & Domestic Clients etc.

Sections of the Division

The Division is comprised of the following Sections/Laboratories. At present 34 staff members are working in Nutrition Division including 17 technical personnel.

1. Admin Section, Nutrition Division
2. Reception, Nutrition Division
3. Federal Public Analyst Lab
4. Food Analytical Lab
   • Facility for Analysis of Quality Parameters
   • Facility for Macronutrients (Proximate Analysis)
   • Facility for Micronutrients / Minerals Detection etc
   • Facility for Salt / Iodized Salt Analysis
   • Facility for Chemical Contaminants (Residual Pesticides//Mycotoxin (Aflatoxin)/Heavy Metals etc.)
   • Research & Development
5. Water Chemical Lab
6. Food / Water Microbiology Lab
7. Nutrition Education Department

Functions / Facilities of the Division

Nutrition Division – NIH is working on the basis of authoritative functions provided through NIH Ordinance No. XL III of 1980

• To conduct research on applied nutrition like clinical nutrition and food analysis and undertake nutrition education.
• To advise federal government in developing food standards / pure food laws in collaboration with international agencies like WHO / FAO and others.

1. Client Facilitation or Help Desk at Reception through provision of a Nutritionist / Consultant to address all technicalities of Clients regarding sampling, testing facilities and counseling on reports.
2. Federal Public Analyst Laboratory to facilitate Food Inspectors/DFCs/DHOs etc.
3. Food / Water chemical analysis to assess food quality.
4. Proximate analysis to assess compositional ingredients.
5. Provision of Salt/Iodized salt analysis.
6. Food / Water chemical contaminants analysis (Detection of Heavy metals, Residual pesticides and Aflatoxin) to assess food safety.
7. Microbiological Analysis to assess food /water safety.
8. Development of standards with respect to food quality and food safety in collaboration with international agencies like WHO / FAO etc.
9. Nutrition Education.
10. Provision of R & D Lab to develop new facilities/standards and update existing facilities.
11. Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP).
12. Development of Nutritional Literatures.
13. Research on Applied Nutrition / Clinical Nutrition.
14. Technical Support to Academia.
15. Advocacy to Federal Government on nutrition related issues.

Achievements

Documents Developed

• Diet Manual for Hospitals in Pakistan- Nutritional Care in Health and Disease
• Islamabad Capital Territory Pure Food Act
• National Food Based Dietary Guidelines (NFBDG)
• National Food Safety Policy
• National Food Safety plan and Strategies for implementation:
• Revision of Pure Food Rules, 1965
• Document on Food Safety Management System through application of ISO 22000:2005 Standard for small and Medium Enterprises
• Formulation of therapeutic Diet Manual

Development of Food Standards

• A revised draft is submitted in 2006 to update the Pakistan Pure Food Rules 1965 under the JPRM project for implementation at ICT level

Product Development

• Iodine Test Kit
• Iron Test Kit
• Chlorine Test Kit

Instructions for Clients