The Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology (IIFPT) recently signed memorandums of understanding (MoU) with eight different reputed institutes in Punjab and Haryana.
The MoUs are intended to facilitate a collaborative programme of research, skill improvement, consultancy, institutional development, information dissemination, and student’s in-plant training.
According to a press release, the linkage hereby formed will further strengthen the relationship between the partners.
The educational institutes were the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU); the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University (MRSPTU); the Central Institute of Post-Harvest Engg. and Technology (CIPHET); the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI); the Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research (IIWBR); the Sant Longowal Institute of Engg. and Technology (SLIET); the National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI); and the Guru Nanak College.
The Minister of Food Processing Industries said that the country needs to adopt scientific technology to compete at a global level. She urged farmers and entrepreneurs to avail of the benefits from the Gram Samridhi Yojana under which the Ministry was allotted IN ₹3,000 crores (about US $422 million) to upgrade technology.
She said that everyone should work in collaboration to increase the income of small farmers and these MoUs will create new opportunities for farmers as there is potential in the food processing industries. She encouraged the farmers to diversify their crops to enhance their income.
The Director of IIFPT claimed that the agency is a pioneer academic, research, and development institution under the Ministry. He said that ongoing research in different fields will help the country. He also disclosed a food testing laboratory will be set up in Bathinda shortly.
Last year, IIFPT developed an energy-saving and cost-effective cold storage system in collaboration with the National Institute of Technology, Trichy (NIT-T). It was a 2TR prototype solar-assisted mobile multi-commodity cold storage system to store fruits and vegetables, sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
Researchers at IIFPT also developed a food 3D-printer that can 3D print cookies. These cookies were made from millets, green gram, fried gram, and ajwain seeds. The ingredients were sieved, then spices, salt, and distilled water was added to the mixture and stirred into a paste. This was the final material to be fed to the food 3D-printer.
According to a news report, the food 3D-printing process takes around five to seven minutes and is followed by a post-processing technique involving a microwave drying process. The researchers also studied the nutritional value of the food to analyse the potential of customising it to the nutritional requirements of an individual.
The printer is approximately the size of a mixer and weighs less than 8 kilograms and is easily portable. It was also indigenously developed and completely fabricated in India. This brings down the cost to less than IN ₹75,000 (about US $1,056), while most printers in the market are expensive and cannot be conveniently used for multi-material food printing applications.