Mysuru: Prof. S. Kowsalya, faculty, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women at Coimbatore, has stressed on the need for food scientists to focus on technology that minimises nutrient loss during processing.

She was speaking after participating in the inaugural function of National Nutrition Week-2024 with the theme ‘Nutritious diets for everyone’ and ‘Global Bio-India Roadshow 2024’ at CSIR-CFTRI in city on Monday.

Referring to a study on 111 food items taken from across India that were ‘totally deficient’ of 11 nutrients, she called for policy interventions and behavioural change to increase the intake of fruits and vegetables.

“Even though cost may be involved in the transformation towards consumption of fruits, at least seasonal fruits need to be consumed,” she said while pointing out that over dependence on processed foods, energy drinks, artificial sweeteners and fast foods had become one of the causes for lifestyle diseases.

As a nutritionist, Prof. Kowsalya said that even now, nutritionists are dependent on food technologists for advice but added “We cannot always tell people to eat processed foods.”

On the occasion, Prof. Kowsalya also brought up a 1964 Journal authored by CFTRI’s Founder-Director V. Subramanyam emphasising the need for greater collaboration between food technologists and nutritionists.

CFTRI Director Dr. Sridevi Annapurna Singh, in her Presidential remarks, pointed out that diet and disease were ‘inter-related’ and there was a need for people to be eating the kind of food that makes them immune to diseases. She noted that in the earlier days of food processing, food scientists were looking for enhancement of shelf life as a large quantity of  food produced in India was going waste due to poor shelf-life.

Emphasising that food processing now has to not only extend shelf life of food, but also retain its nutrients, she observed that food technology now not only has to cater food to a large population with convenience and less cost, but also ensure health and nutrition.

Dr. Prachi Agarwal, Senior Manager-Technical, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), New Delhi, who was the guest of honour, spoke about upcoming Global Bio-India Roadshow-2024.

The winners of extempore contest held as part of Nutrition Week — A.G. Pavitra, Hadia Tahir, Ashmitha Tanwar, M. Aishwarya and Rajesh and winners of essay contest — M. Prakruti, M. Deepika, Keerti, Harapriya  Sahu and Twinkle Kesharwani, were distributed prizes.