DFRL to supply food for anti - naxal forces

It has come out with new food technologies for military and para military personnel

The Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL), which hitherto was supplying packaged food for only the defence forces has broadened its horizons.  “There is a demand from para military forces, especially the anti - naxal forces for packaged food and water. We have received the orders for 1.20 lakh rations. The production is underway and the supply will start soon,” A S Bawa, Director of the DFRL told a news conference on Friday.

The para military forces are working in most arduous conditions in the forests to fight the maosts threat. They are required to treck a long a route for stretched hours. Hence, the anti - naxal forces approached the DFRL to come out with packaged foods for the personnel, he said.

These personnel will also be supplied with drinking water pouches supplied to the military. The naxal region in the North East. The water availability for the personnel on field is scarce. Eventhough, water sources are available they are not fit for consumption for the personnel.

Innovations

Bawa said the DFRL has come out with new technologies that are ready to be dispatched to the jawans on the high altitude and other hostile weather conditions in up North. The personnel working on high altitude tend to lose their apetite soon. The Laboratory in Mysore has come up with an energy capsule. The 30 gm capsule alike a chocolate will provide for 100 calories of energy. It has a shelf life of a year.

“We have also developed mutton sandwich with more shelf life. The trials conducted on these food are successful and they are ready to be inducted,” he disclosed.  For men in hot desert area, the DFRL has found zero energy cooling chamber. It do not require electricity to keep the food under cold storage.

While, we have also developed an anti - freeze chamber for the personnel on high altitutde and braving freezing temperatures. It keeps the milk, juice and eggs non - freezed despite below zero mercury levels. Soon, the ready to eat food packs will also be sent to BSF jawans posted for United Nations’ duty outside Country, he said.  We are also developing technologies to keep the food safe from biological warfare, he added.

Quick test kits

In addition, the DFRL has completed a technology to test fitness of the raw vegetables and fruits for consumption.  The Quick test kits are being sent to Military forces to check whether a raw item is fit for consumption or not.  Similarly, the Laboratory has developed a strip to check the quality of the meat supplied to army bases and camps.

“The kit can trace whether the meat is from the living animal or dead animal. There are practices among the traders to supply dead animals’ meat is mixed and supplied along with quality meat. The technology can also be transferred for civil usage if the DFRL find the companies have the wherewithal and infrastructure,” the Director said.  Senior scientists Dr Batra, Dr Premavalli and others were present.

New campus

The DFRL is in the expansion mode. It will come up with its new campus at a 20 acre plot in the Hebbal Industrial area near Infosys campus. Director Bawa said the Government has sanctioned about 100 crores for the construction of the building and the infrastructure in the new campus. It will have laboratory units and larger production facility along with quality control unit.

Presently, the old campus has a capacity to make 5000 food packets under specialised category. While, the capacity of production for other ordinary ration food packets is 4000 per day, he said.