Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Professor Abdullahi Mustapha, yesterday announced plans by the university would establish a centre for food safety, research and training.
The vice-chancellor said at an inaugural lecture by Professor Veronica Umoh at the institution’s main campus at Samaru in Zaria that the centre, when established, would pay attention to issues of capacity building in risk analysis, research and training that would help in the reduction of food borne diseases and networking among the various stakeholders.
Professor Umoh had earlier said globalisation of food trade and increasing problems of emerging and re-emerging diseases are posing serious challenges on food safety.
She therefore recommended for the establishment of a science institute that would concentrate on risk assessment, provision of adequate infrastructure, food borne diseases surveillance and training and re-training of personnel.