GAU hosts session on eco-friendly smart food packaging
Gazipur Agricultural University (GAU) inaugurated an inception workshop on Thursday (13 November) titled "The Development of Biodegradable Intelligent Packaging Using Plant-Based Polysaccharides and Pigments to Ensure Food Quality".
The event, funded under the Higher Education Acceleration and Transformation (HEAT) Project, was organised under the supervision of Dr Md Nahidul Islam, assistant professor of GAU and project manager. It was held at the university's Old Auditorium at 11am.
The workshop aimed to promote knowledge sharing among researchers, teachers, and students on environmentally sustainable packaging technologies and to explore their industrial applications. The innovative packaging concept features automatic colour signals to indicate food freshness or spoilage.
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Vice-Chancellor Professor GKM Mustafizur Rahman presided over the event, while Professor Asaduzzaman, director of the HEAT Project, attended as the chief guest. Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor M Moynul Haque and Treasurer Professor Md Safiul Islam Afrad were present as special guests. Also attending as expert speakers were Professor Mohammad Gulzarul Aziz of Bangladesh Agricultural University and Professor Md Sazzat Hossain Sarker of Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University.
The opening remarks were delivered by Professor Md Amdadul Haque, chairman of the Department of Food Engineering, followed by a keynote presentation from Dr Md Nahidul Islam, who highlighted how plant-derived polysaccharides and natural pigments can be used to create sensor-based intelligent packaging for safer and fresher food preservation.
An open discussion session followed, led by the vice-chancellor, where participants exchanged ideas on the future of smart packaging in Bangladesh.
The chief guest, Professor Asaduzzaman, said that the project could help reduce import dependency by fostering locally developed, internationally competitive, eco-friendly packaging solutions.
In his closing remarks, Vice-Chancellor Professor Mustafizur Rahman said, "Food security today is not just about nutrition – it is also about protecting the environment. Our research must align with nature to ensure sustainable innovation. This smart packaging initiative will open a new horizon in food preservation." He also urged proactive steps towards patent acquisition and ensuring affordable access for consumers.
