Track1: Food Processing Technology

Food processing is a technology that consists of series of operations to turn the unprocessed raw food into processed food with altered storage period that establishes the time reduction and reduces the effort for preparing the procedure. This food processing technology is mainly seen in developed countries. There are both advantages as well as limitations with this method. The advantages include boosting aroma, increasing the aesthetic properties and nutritional values of the foods. High demand foods tend to destroy very fast and such foods are processed to increase the shelf life.

• Unprocessed raw food
• Storage period
• Aesthetic properties
• Nutritional values
• Shelf life

Track2: Nutritional Deficiencies and Disorders

The body requires various types of vitamins, minerals and other essential substances that play a crucial role in the body development and to fight against various foreign organisms that cause diseases. It is a condition when the body fails to absorb or it doesn’t receive the specified nutrients on daily basis. Nutrient deficiencies can weaken the body and make it much susceptible to many health problems and chronic sickness. Common Malnutrition disorders include Marasmus and kwashiorkor.

• Marasmus
• Foreign organisms
• Minerals
• Malnutrition
• Kwashiorkor

Track3: Food Safety in Retail stores

Food safety in the retail environment is a considerable factor to the customers. Retail stores are the places where contamination of food is up to higher level.  Cross contamination of the food borne pathogens with in the retail stores is associated with increased risk of health problems. Ready-to-eat foods such as processed meat, cheese are more prone to be attacked by disease causing pathogens and this leads to contamination. The common microorganisms that contaminate food are mycobacteria, eubacteria, streptococcus organisms. GFSI was formed to ensure the delivery of safe food to the customers.

• Food safety
• Cross contamination
• Mycobacteria
• Health problems
• Streptococcus organisms

Track4: Food Borne Diseases

Food borne diseases can also be called as the food borne illness which is caused mostly due to the poisoning of food. Food borne diseases are mainly caused due to contamination of food with pathogens, virus, bacteria and various bacteria. The symptoms of food poisoning are not seen immediately because the pathogens require the incubation period to increase the number and cause the infection. Symptoms of Foodborne diseases include Vomiting’s, fever, head ache and diarrhoea. Commonly seen food borne diseases include

• Scombroid Fish Poisoning.
• Shigellosis (Shigella)
• Toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii)
• Vibrio Infection (Vibrio parahaemolyticus)
• Yersiniosis (Yersinia species)

Track5: Dairy Technology & Safety

Dairy Technology is a study which involves the study of the technologies involving the processing, storage, packaging, distribution and transportation of the Dairy farm products considering the science of medical speciality, nutrition and biochemistry. Milk and milk products are often contaminated by mycotoxins which are capable to cause cancer. So the dairy products are sterilized before distribution to kill such pathogens. The cheese is mainly contaminated by E.coli and other salmonella species. Hence right from milk collection to distribution they should be processed properly.

• Dairy products
• Mycotoxins
• Pathogens
• E.Coli
• Salmonella species

Track6: Medical Foods and Dietary supplements

The medical foods are the foods which are formulated to treat any diseased condition or sickness. They are rich in medicinal values which are meant for the dietary management of health. This food is formulated in such a way to provide the nutrition to the targeted system of the body. Whereas the dietary supplements are the external supplements that can add nutrients on daily basis or lower the risk of diseased conditions.  The medical food should be taken under the supervision of physicians. Ingredients used to formulate the medical food should be safe to use whereas the dietary supplements have different standard of ingredients.

• Diseased conditions
• Targeted nutrition
• Dietary supplements
• Physicians
• Formulation

Track7: Meat Hygiene Management

Meat is the most consumable product and hence the processing of meat until the consumption must be done with conscious. If the meat is not processed properly then the harmful foreign pathogens tend to grow with in it. Meat acts as a principle carriers of disease causing pathogens into the body. Healthy slaughtering and handling techniques should be implemented. This can prevent the health hazards caused by its intake. Hygienic practices can increase the marketability and consumption.

• Meat processing
• Hygienic practices
• Health hazards
• Marketability
• Healthy handling techniques

Track8: Food Preservation and Quality Standards

Food preservation technology involves the food processing techniques that help to prevent the growth of the microorganisms such as bacteria, pathogens, mycotoxins and fungi. This process also involves the slowing down of oxidation of fats present which causes the rancidity. The main aim of this process is to stop the deterioration of the foods such as enzyme browning reactions etc. By preserving the food it can be stored for long time and reduce the wastage of food. The common food preservation methods include

• Pasteurization
• Vacuum packing
• Freeze drying
• Artificial food additives
• Irradiation
• Pulsed electric field electroporation
• Modified atmosphere
• Nonthermal plasma
• High-pressure food preservation
• Bio preservation
• Hurdle technology

Track9: Genetically Modified Foods

Genetically modified foods can be shortly abbreviated as GM foods. They can also be called as genetically engineered foods. These foods are generally produced by introducing the changes in the DNA structures of various organisms by the genetic engineering technology. This method is advantageous as it will produce new traits such a mutation breeding and disease resistance. This technology came into existence in the year of 1994. Most commonly cash crops such as Cotton, corn, Soybean etc. are primarily focused.  The main aim of producing GM crops is they are pathogen and herbicide resistant and show better nutrient profile.

• Genetically engineered foods
• Mutation breeding
• Cash crops
• Nutrient profile
• Disease resistance

Track10:  Food Toxicology and Allergens

Food allergens are the substances which are present in the food and when ingested causes abnormal immune responses. These allergen substances are usually natural proteins.  Having hypersensitivity to one or lot of foods is being common now a day. The prevalence of food allergens is more than 8% in children and 2% in the adults.  The most people are allergic towards Milk and eggs. Whereas food toxicology is another subject that deals with the harmful consequences of chemicals on living beings which are found in food. The chemicals can also be human made which includes chemical residues, food contaminants etc.

• Natural proteins
• Immune responses
• Allergens
• Hypersensitivity
• Milk
• Food contaminants

Track11: Food Adulteration

Food adulteration is defined as process of admixture the degraded and under standard substances to food. It can also be removal of the valuable ingredients and substituting it with degraded mixtures. Food adulteration is a very important concern worldwide. The nutritional values of substances get reduced due to this process. Sometimes it can pose a life threating situations after ingestion. Food adulteration can be detected by the techniques such as Chromatography, spectroscopy, isotope analysis, enzymatic methods and DNA- based techniques.

• Degraded substances
• Nutritional substances
• Chromatography
• Spectroscopy
• Enzymatic methods
• DNA- based techniques

Track12: Food Sampling

Food sampling is defined as the method that is used to confirm if the food is safe or it contains any harmful contaminants, additives, labelled ingredients in correct quantities and correct nutritional values as labelled. This process is done by subjecting it to physical analysis. This analysis can be performed by any one such as manufacturers, officers or general public. This procedure involves two steps sampling in which the selected amount of sample is given to the laboratory and sun-sampling. The common tests performed during the sampling involves

• Food allergen testing
• Food chemical analysis
• Food contact tests
• Food contaminant testing
• Nutritional analysis and testing
• GMO testing
• Melamine contamination testing
• Microbiological tests
• Spiral plating for bacterial count
• Pesticide residue testing
• Veterinary drug residue testing
• PCR food testing

Track13: Food Chemistry

Food chemistry is the science that deals with the study of Interactions between the chemicals and organic as well as the inorganic additives of the food. It deals with many carbohydrates, enzymes, proteins, food elements, flavours and colours. It also focuses on how the food products change under certain processing technologies and the ways to prevent them. The common example can be enhancing the fermentation process of the dairy products with the use of microorganisms and conversion into lactic acid.  

• Chemical interactions
• Organic and inorganic additives
• Carbohydrates
• Enzymes proteins
• Lactic acid

Track14: Paediatric Nutrition

Paediatric nutrition involves the dietary requirements of the children to increase the growth and development of organ performance and body composition. It facilitates the healthy development of the body and brain of infants and children with care and good dietary supplementation.  Proper paediatric nutrition can prevent obesity, promote intelligence and provide them with proper oral hygiene.

• Dietary requirements
• Obesity
• Oral health
• Intelligence
• Brain

Track15: Food Safety Modernization Act

Food Safety Modernization Act can be shortly abbreviated as FSMA. It was signed by Barack Obama on January 4, 2011. FSMA had additionally provided the Food Drug Administration with authorities to regulate the growth procedure of foods, how they are harvested and processed.  It gives FDA power to recall the authorities of agencies which are from many years. The main reasons for signing this act are the onset of several cases of foodborne diseases due to contamination.

• Food Drug Administration
• Processing of food
• Foodborne diseases
• Contamination
• Harvesting