Washington’s top scientist arrives to make Lanka foods safer, tastier

• First ever Int’l Food Training nowin Colombo
• “More Americans looking for Lankan spiced food”  – Dr. Rasco
• “Urgent need of our food exporters fulfilled” – Rishad

For the first time in Sri Lanka’s exports history, a renowned global food scientist in town to extensively disseminate to the Lankan food exporters of the much needed awareness on international regulatory compliance rules.

Washington State University Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition Associate Professor Dr. Barbara Rasco, will be meeting Sri Lanka’s food and processed food exporters at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce this week.

Dr. Rasco, one of the few professionals in the world simultaneously practicing Food Law as well as being food scientist, arrived in the island recently. Dr. Rasco who successfully collaborated on 200 published scientific papers on food science, is leading the Trainers Program on Food Safety Modernisation Act of USA, which began recently, at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.

She published the world’s first a book (with Dr. Bledsoe) on intentional food contamination, considered as a criminal practice in which companies were shown how to deal with food terrorism. She has worked with hundreds of firms including; Starbucks, Coca Cola, Kraft US, Dole, Cargill Inc and American Sea Foods.

Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen commenting on Dr. Rasco’s initiatives in Sri Lanka said: “Dr Rasco’s main contribution to food sciences is the integration of the legal and technical aspects and trying to come up with rational practices for the global industry to make the overall value chain of food, safer. These types of awareness sessions are an urgent need, especially considering that 26% of our food and beverage exports consist of processed foods as we face global export turmoil.”  “This is an export sector with strong potential and we need this type of initiatives to sustain our competitive edge,” he stressed.

Dr. Rasco, who admitted her strong liking for Sri Lankan Jaggery and hot curries said: “I am happy to help Sri Lanka’s food industry to secure its exports competitiveness.  I am also impressed with the level of sophistication of Sri Lanka’s food industry. You are very proactive.”  She also stressed that: “Despite the difficulty to get in to new export markets and despite being expensive, your food operators and exporters are doing the right thing by following regulatory compliance.”  Dr. Rasco, who has extensive working background in 30 countries-mostly in Central, South and South East Asia added: “Americans are beginning to look for spicy food from Sri Lanka. I see new opportunities for Sri Lanka’s full bodied spicy food exports in US.”

Sri Lanka Food Processors Association Admin Secretary Ivan Peiris said: “Reps from more than 20 leading firms-including Elephant House and Coca Cola- will be taking part in tomorrow’s session which will continue till 13 June. This is the first time that such an extensive program of this nature is taking place in Sri Lanka.”