HISAR (Dinkar Gawri):- The Department of Dairy Chemistry, College of Dairy Science and Technology, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (LUVAS), Hisar, organised an international symposium on “Emerging Trends in Dairy Science, Food Science and Quality Assurance”. Experts shared their views on latest research, technological developments, food quality and safety, and standardisation in the fields of dairy and food science.
The chief guest, LUVAS Vice-Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) Vinod Kumar Verma, said in his address that the field of dairy and food science is developing rapidly and it is essential to promote new technologies and research in accordance with changing requirements. He said food quality and safety are directly linked to public health, and therefore scientific research should be taken beyond laboratories to farmers, livestock owners and industry. He called upon students and researchers to connect with research being conducted at the international level and adopt innovation.
Dr. Sushila Mann, Dean, College of Dairy Science and Technology, said that amid changing consumer preferences and global competition, the need for value-added dairy products, modern processing technologies and development of quality food products has increased. She said strong coordination between educational institutions and industry can help translate research outcomes into practical applications.
Dr. Meenakshi Virmani, Organising Chairperson, Head of the Department of Dairy Chemistry and Principal Scientist, said the objective of the symposium was to discuss latest research, technological developments and quality standards in dairy and food science, besides familiarising students and researchers with the experiences of international experts.
In the first technical session of the programme, Professor Nidhi Bansal of the University of Queensland, Australia, delivered an online lecture on “Next-Generation Dairy Processing: The Role of Non-Thermal Technologies and Non-Bovine Milk”. She elaborated on modern non-thermal technologies being used in dairy processing, their utility and future prospects. She also highlighted the growing importance of milk from animals other than buffalo and cow and its potential applications in the dairy industry, stressing the need to adopt innovative processing technologies in line with changing consumer requirements.
In the second technical session, Assistant Professor Dr. Minakshi Sharma of the University of Nottingham, Ningbo, China, delivered a lecture on “Nano-Delivery Systems for Functional Foods Derived from Natural Pigments”. She elaborated on the functioning and potential of nano-delivery systems developed using pigments obtained from natural sources. She explained that these systems can be used to enhance the effectiveness and utility of bioactive components in functional foods. She also shared information about the growing importance of nanotechnology in food science and its potential applications in the future.
In the third technical session, Dr. Neha Yadav, Director and Head of Stakeholder Engagement and Education Outreach, Standards Coordination and Monitoring Department, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), shared her views on “Indian Standards for the Food Industry: Collaboration among Academia, BIS, Industry and Regulators”. Highlighting the important role of Indian standards in ensuring food quality and safety, she said effective compliance with prescribed standards is essential for quality and safe food products. She emphasised that better coordination and regular dialogue among academic institutions, BIS, industry and regulatory bodies are necessary to strengthen quality and standardisation in the food sector. She also encouraged students and researchers to gain practical knowledge of food standards and quality assurance.
Scientists, academicians, researchers, industry experts and representatives of relevant institutions from India and abroad participated in the symposium. The three technical sessions featured useful discussions on contemporary subjects including dairy processing, functional foods, nanotechnology, food quality and standardisation.
On the occasion, Registrar of the College of Veterinary Sciences Dr. Ram Nazar Chaudhary, Director of Research Dr. Rajat Garg, Dean of Postgraduate Studies Dr. Gautam, Director, Human Resources and Management Dr. Sonia Sindhu, Dean, College of Veterinary Sciences Dr. Aneesh Yadav, IPVS Director Dr. Sanjay Yadav and Controller of Accounts Mr. Vikas Kharb, along with university teachers, scientists, researchers and members of the organising committee, were present.
Dr. Ruby Siwach and Dr. Vijay J. Jadhav, the organising secretaries, played an important role in organising the symposium. The organising committee included Dr. Vandana Chaudhary, Dr. Tejinder Pal Singh, Dr. Satish Jangra, Dr. Surbhi, Dr. Kanishth Batra and Dr. Nilesh Sindhu.
