Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL), Mysore, a premier institution for food technology in the country, has undertaken a novel initiative to take its technological advantages to the rural areas. The move is also expected to provide a shot in the arm to the rural economy.
In a first of its kind programme aimed at promoting cottage and small scale industries, the DFRL, in association with the Department of Horticulture, recently conducted a training on fruits and vegetable processing for 100 persons from Hunsur, Periyapatna, H D Kote, Nanjangud and Mysore taluks and women constituted over 80 per cent of the participants.
Parameshwaraiah, the technical officer, Food Engineering and Packaging Department, told Deccan Herald that the government had sought the assistance of DFRL in its effort to augment the cottage industries at the grassroot level.
He also added that though the Institute’s focus is on defence food research, their ultimate aim is to ensure that the benefits of their breakthroughs reaches the common man.
Meanwhile, P S Raju, the Head of Fruits and Vegetables Technology Division, who was in-charge of the training programme, said that the participants were apprised of the necessary techniques for preservation and processing of fruits and vegetables.
Apart from production, emphasis was laid on quality control and apt marketing aspects too, he added.
They were introduced to the basic aspects of food engineering, technology tra-nsfer and the machinery involved in production in the morning sessions, while the afternoon sessions dealt with preparation of products like jam, jelly, ketchup, sauce, chutney from tomato, Kanji juice from beetroot, potato chips and others. Besides, the participants were trained in various techniques for preservation of pre-cut vegetables also.
They were categorised into four batches and trained for three days each between April 11 and May 4. Raju, in reply to a query on short duration of training, remarked that the participants could come back to DFRL for technological advice before setting up their enterprises and can also seek help constantly further.
In order to supplement the effort, the Department of Horticulture has planned to distribute pamphlets containing brief description of the DFRL products, their novelty and the capital investment required, he revealed and also observed that the people could elicit more information in this regard from them.
It is noteworthy that several reputed food companies from across the country, including the famous MTR food products have sought technological support from the DFRL.
Their clients include Tasty Bite Eatables, Pune, Kovai Annapurna Foods, Coimbatore, Integrated Fisheries Project, Kochin, Government of Kerala, Laiza Foods, Mumbai etc.