The Food Science & Nutrition Group at the College of Agricultural & Marine Sciences Sultan Qaboos University celebrated the World Food Day 2018. The highlight of the event was an exhibition consisting of 14 stations, though which the Food Science & Nutrition Group and five other student groups in the college disseminated information on various aspects of food, food security and food sustainability with the ultimate aim to ensure that everyone, everywhere, has access to the safe, healthy and nutritious food they need. The activities of the exhibition corresponded with the theme of the World Food Day 2018, i.e., “Our actions are our future; A zero-hunger world by 2030 is possible” and related aspects.

The exhibition was opened under the patronage of Dr. Khalid Al Hinai, Environmental Affairs & Community Services Advisor to the Vice Chancellor of SQU. The World Food Day 2018 (WFD), marked each year on 16 October, highlights the need to step up efforts to end hunger as, globally, chronic hunger and malnutrition are on the rise again.

At one station, the student group disseminated information on the need for reducing food waste in the region. “In terms of quantity, you should prepare what is required for you. If you have leftovers, freeze them for later, or use them as an ingredient in another meal. When you eat at a restaurant, ask for half a portion if you are not feeling too hungry, or take your leftovers home”, they observed.

A station shed light on the need for farmers should find new, more productive ways to farm food and diversify their crops. They underscored the need for an integrated farming approach in farming that will help farmers increase their crops’ yield, their profits, and the quality of their farmland.

Through various stations, the food science and nutrition students spoke about superfoods, eating disorders, food labelling, food and diseases, sensory evaluation of food products, food-drug interactions, foods for healthy skin, pros and cons of gym food, food marketing, sea foods, quality of meat and animal products, etc.