Director of CSIR-CFTRI, Mysuru, Sridevi Annapurna Singh, former directors Dr V. Prakash, Prof Ram Rajasekaran and Dr KSMS Raghavarao during CSIR-CFTRI Platinum Jubilee Foundation Day event held at IFTTC Auditorium at CFTRI in Mysuru on Tuesday.
DH Photo
Mysuru: Sridevi Annapurna Singh, Director, CSIR-CFTRI, Mysuru, said that the future research activities of CFTRI includes AI-based technologies to provide solutions to the industry, personalised nutrition, mobile processing, 3D printing and Ayur Ahar, she said.
She was speaking at the CSIR-CFTRI Platinum Jubilee Foundation Day event held at IFTTC Auditorium at CFTRI in Mysuru on Tuesday.
Sridevi said, "CFTRI has led to an increase in the output of the Indian food industry multiple fold, in its 74-year journey, ever since the Institute was established on October 21, 1959. It has become one-stop center for globally competitive research, technological and industrial services in food science and technology."
"Thanks to its multi-disciplinary approach to food research, since its inception, CSIR-CFTRI has developed more than 1000 technologies reaching different food industries. It now has 400 technologies for transfer to industry. CFTRI has more than 4100 licensees for its technologies," she said.
She added that, the Institute’s activities are spread across five verticals- training, technology, translational research, testing and engineering. CFTRI has linkages and MOUs with several national and international agencies for its activities.
Starting from developing Amul baby food, para boiling rice, Mysuru paushtik atta, nutraceuticals, Spirulina chikkis there are several technologies transferred to industry, self-help groups, and entrepreneurs.
The Institute has also developed many food processing machinery with the main focus on mechanisation of the production of Indian traditional foods. Some of the major machinery developed at CSIR-CFTRI include leaf cup-making machine, papad press, maize mill system, versatile dhal mill, rice bran stabiliser, continuous dosa, idli, chapathi and vada-making machines, ragi mudde-making machine and so on.
To enhance livelihoods with increased income and sustainability to ensure food security and enhance overall well-being, CFTRI organised more than 1100 training programmes, and nearly 20,000 people have benefitted. Of these, more than 3000 people were trained under the PMFME (Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme) programme alone, Sridevi said.
CFTRI sources said that a 'Biodegradable Cutlery Research & Innovation Center' is established under the Project SHREE ANNA- The Millet Mission of CSIR' to address the environmental challenges posed by plastic waste while capitalizing the vast potential of millet processing by-products and wastes. The Centre hosts the pre-processing, manufacturing and analytical equipment for development of the biodegradable cutlery and tableware.
Former Directors Dr V Prakash, Prof Ram Rajasekaran and Dr KSMS Raghavarao were also present.