Webinar on Role of Women in Advancing Food Quality and Safety Research Organized by FQSRI, SARC, PARC

A webinar titled “Role of Women in Advancing Food Quality and Safety Research” was organized by the Food Quality & Safety Research Institute (FQSRI), PARC Southern-zone Agricultural Research Centre on March 9, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 12:15 PM. Ms. Kainat, Scientific Officer at FQSRI, PARC, moderated the session. The webinar featured speakers from academia, research institutions, and industry, including representatives from the University of Karachi, Ziauddin University, Karachi Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (KIBGE), National Foods, and PARC. Around 25 participants from various organizations attended the event. Dr. Najmus Sahar, Principal Scientific Officer at FQSRI, PARC, presented on aflatoxin contamination challenges in food safety, highlighting the scale of the problem, sharing key findings from her research, and emphasizing the need for effective strategies to mitigate this critical food safety issue. Dr. Tahira Mohsin Ali, Associate Professor at the University of Karachi, discussed the significance of composite flour as a potential tool for developing low-glycemic food products. She shared insights from her research and highlighted future opportunities in this area. Dr. Saddia Galani, Professor at KIBGE, shared insights on arsenic-free rice production for ensuring food safety and public health, outlining the associated challenges and potential mitigation strategies. Dr. Natasha Abbas Butt, Associate Professor at Ziauddin University, delivered a presentation on ensuring food safety through analytical techniques for quality control of dietary supplements, highlighting the importance of advanced analytical approaches and her contributions to this field. Ms. Samama Zubair, Assistant Manager at National Foods, spoke on the role of women in driving innovation in the food industry, shared her professional journey and perspectives on future opportunities for women in the sector.

Prior to concluding the webinar, a question-and-answer session was held, providing participants with the opportunity to interact with the speakers, seek clarifications, and discuss key issues related to food quality and safety research. The webinar concluded with an engaging discussion among participants, making the session highly informative and valuable for researchers and professionals working in the field of food quality and safety