The Minister of Food Processing
Industries Subodh Kant Sahai said that, food
safety is a growing concern across the world.
There is increasing need to provide greater
assurance about the safety and quality of
food to consumers. India`s potential to garner
a higher share in world food trade also led
to increasing recognition and adoption of
food safety measures.
He was speaking on the launching
ceremony of `Food Safety and Quality Year
2008-09` in National Seminar on ``Food Safety
and Quality Management Systems – from
Farm to Fork`` at Vigyan Bhavan, on Wednesday.
It will partner with various stakeholders,
such as Ministry of Agriculture, Department
of Commerce, Ministry of Health, and Department
of Consumer Affairs, association both industries
and consumers, academic institutions etc.
Sahai further said that the
year 2008-09 will be the watershed year for
Food Safety and Quality in India with new
initiatives being taken by the Ministry of
Food Processing which would be integrated
with the schemes and programs already operationalized.
The Eleventh Plan allocation
for the Ministry has been increased by about
six times, from Rs 6.50 billion in the Tenth
Plan to Rs 40.31 billion in the current plan.
The Ministry has restructured and identified
thrust areas for strategic interventions in
the 11th Plan. This has primarily been establishment
of mega food parks; creation of integrated
cold chain infrastructure at different levels,
including farm level primary processing center-cum-cold
chain; establishment of collection/aggregation
centers, and strategic distribution centers;
capacity building by setting up National Institute
of Technology, Entrepreneurship & Management
(NIFTEM) and establishment/upgradation of
quality control laboratories.
The Ministry of Food Processing
Industries will carry out a year long campaign
to reach out to all the stakeholders and consumers
on food safety and quality initiatives, he
added.
http://www.myiris.com/newsCentre/newsPopup.php?fileR=20080611150748179&dir=2008/06/11&secID=livenews
Ultra-High Pressure
Processing Eliminates Salmonella in Fresh
Tomatoes
The Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) has advised that tomatoes packaged commercially
via heat processing are still safe to eat.
Unfortunately heat changes the flavor and
texture of fresh produce and is not viable
for refrigerated salsas or pico-style dip
products with tomatoes.
An alternative to heat processing, featuring
the same benefits – but without the
negatives -- is Ultra-High Pressure Food Processing
(UHP or HPP). A leader in food safety, Fresherized
Foods(TM), advises that ultra-high pressure
processing (essentially a cold pasteurization
process via high-pressure water) eliminates
most food pathogens found in raw produce --
including fresh tomatoes. http://www.fresherizedfoods.com
Food safety experts recognize
HPP globally as an effective preservation
solution -- as effective as cooking or heating
-- in elimination of food pathogens such as
Salmonella, Listeria and E. coli.
High pressure processing eliminates
Salmonella and other bacteria in about 3 minutes.
Traditional processing for tomatoes takes
from 10-45 minutes. The negative effects of
high temperatures on fresh produce are eliminated
when pressure is used, allowing HPP processed
foods to retain nutrients, natural taste,
texture and color. And, because the organisms
causing foods to spoil have been reduced or
eliminated, foods stay fresher longer.
Globally in 2006, approximately
55 companies used 91 HPP machines for food
production -- 56 HPP machines are located
in the Americas.
Initial testing using high
pressure technology dates back to the late
1800's. Americas use of HPP began in 1997
when Fresherized Foods company founder, Don
Bowden, became the first to introduce HPP
technology for commercial food production.
Fresherized Foods currently owns the largest
HPP equipment in the world.
"HPP allows food processors
to substantially reduce or eliminate the use
of costly chemical preservatives that alter
the flavor, while creating safe, all natural,
clean-label and organic products that consumers
are demanding," commented Marcia Walker,
PhD Vice President Technology and Microbiology.
Globally HPP has been used
in food processing since 1980's in Japan.
HPP is used in other commercial and manufacturing
applications.
Fresherized Foods, a manufacturer
and global leader in food safety, quality
and innovation, uses Ultra High Pressure Preservation
(HPP) – or Fresherization(TM) -- to
create their line of fresh dip products while
ensuring the highest level of food safety.
http://www.fresherizedfoods.com
Science of shelf life
Bhubaneswar, May 20: Researchers
in Orissa University of Agriculture Technology
have come up with a way to provide fruits
and vegetables an extended shelf life and
keep them fresh.
The technology, called “dehumidified
air dryer” method, has been invented
by a team of researchers led by scientist
Mohammed Khalid of the College of Agricultural
Engineering and Technology.
The present practice of preserving
fruits and vegetables involves keeping them
in freezing conditions, however, that tends
to freeze the liquid inside, bringing a visible
cringing on the outer surface. After a while,
frozen commodities get a shrunk look that
mars their appearance.
The new technology, however,
preserves the commodity at a reduced temperature
with added humidity that helps keep fruits
fresh for a longer period.
Again the same technology
can be used for drying fruits, vegetables,
spices, condiments, medicinal and aromatic
plants and other high-value commodities “rightly”,
said Baburam Singh, the in charge of the university
Intellectual Property Right Cell, that has
been approached by the researchers for a patent.
“Unlike normal freezing,
this application uses low temperature combined
with humidity and prevents commodities from
losing their original shape,” Singh
said. “We are in the process of filing
an application for a patent,” he added.
Apart from preservation,
the Orissa university has been carrying out
researches on several post-harvest technologies
including processing of aloe vera and Mohua
flowers, besides seed and packaging techniques
to improve their shelf life.
Source: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080521/jsp/nation/story_9296857.jsp
Meet to focus on new technology in
soyabean processing
NEW DELHI: India, the fifth-largest producer
of soya, is about to toast the wonder bean
— which actually falls in the oilseed
category — at an international conference
this year.
With ‘Soyabean for Human Health and
Happiness’ as its theme, the meet will
be held at the Soya Processing and Utilisation
Centre of the Central Institute of Agricultural
Engineering at Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Formally
called the International Soyabean Processing
and Utilisation Conference-V (Ispuc-V), it
will take place during December 10-14 at Bhopal.
So far, four Ispucs have been held in China,
Thailand, Japan and Brazil. This is the first
time the event reaches South Asia.
Ispuc has been a platform for all the soyabean
researchers the world over “to share
their research output and decide the future
course of action”. Soyabean —
used to derive oil, milk and tofu among other
things — has traditionally played an
important role in the dietary habits in Asian
countries. During the early 1900s, soybean
was grown as a subsistence food crop in the
continent. Now it has spread all over the
world.
The present production of soybean in the
world is about 212 millions tonnes. Five major
soybean-producing countries in the world are
the US, Brazil, China, Argentina and India.
India contributes about 3.5% of the total
world soyabean production. The conference
will focus on the emerging technologies in
soyabean processing and utilisation as food
for nutritional enhancement and health promotion.
Also, it will promote the sharing and exchange
of scientific and technical information on
all aspects of research and development of
soybean processing and utilisation
India’s first food & nutrition
institute in Mohali soon
Chandigarh, June 24 A part of the Knowledge
City coming up in the township, NBAI will
be set up on 35 acres in PPP model; Centre
to fund Rs 380 crore.
Mohali is set to get the country’s
first National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute
(NABI). To be built in the public-private
partnership model on 35 acres, NABI will form
part of the Knowledge City coming up in the
township, officials said.
The process will be set in motion in a month
and more centres of the institute will be
opened in the state later, they added.
According to the officials, the institute
will focus on agriculture and agro-processing
for value addition, using biotechnological
innovations. The institute will increase the
competitiveness of the agri-food industrial
sector through innovation, resource and development
support. The institute will also train world-class
human resources in food science and technology
and nutritional science.
“It will be a part of the biotechnology
cluster and comprise a bio-processing unit
to be set up by the Department of Biotechnology,
Government of India, at a cost of Rs 380 crore,
besides a biotechnology park,” said
Dr M K Bhan, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology.
Bhan was in Chandigarh on Tuesday, leading
a three-member delegation to have talks with
Punjab government officials.
All modalities were finalised with project
consultants Ernst and Young at the meeting.
Bhan said: “Ernst and Young has submitted
its report and we have asked them to float
the bids. We expect the biotechnology cluster
to start operations in a couple of years.”
The bio-processing unit will be set up because
a real-time interface facility is required
between the laboratory-level testing and large-scale
manufacturing, he said. The unit has been
designed to serve as an incubator for the
start-up companies. It will not only facilitate
the scale-up and process optimisation of new
technologies developed by the NABI or acquired
from other sources within India and abroad
but also provide services, consultancies and
support to the start-up companies.
It is envisaged to have the requisite process
capacity to support these start-ups for the
initial one or two years, till they get the
feel of the market and can attain in-house
capacity for setting up larger units.
The Biotechnology Park will comprise a business
centre, utilities, facilities and a service
centre to promote biotech industry in the
state. The Punjab Biotechnology Incubator,
which has been operating successfully in Mohali,
will be shifted to this cluster.
“A society or a company will be set
up soon and these facilities will come up
in public-private partnership. Also, an advisory
board will be constituted comprising prominent
people from banking, service sector and science
and technology. They will offer advice but
not interfere in its day-to-day functioning,”
said Bhan.
He said NABI will employ nearly 300 scientists.
Its main aim will be providing support to
new companies that are into agri-residue innovation
so that they can create more jobs.
“Food and nutrition cannot be separated,
and more and more people are becoming health
freaks, so the institute is the need of the
hour,” added Bhan.
Source: http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Indias-first-food-&-nutrition-institute-in-Mohali-soon/327182/
