Food Marketing & Technology - India May 2019 | Page 52

Interview
the technologies developed at NDRI
are displayed to representatives of
the dairy industry. Last year, NDRI
organised Institute-Industry Meets
at its Southern Regional Station,
Bangalore. NDRI also showcases
its technologies at various scientific
meets, conferences, etc. Compilation of
NDRI technologies is also available at
NDRI website (www.ndri.res.in). We
also publish about NDRI technologies
in various food magazines.
Could you please give some
examples of the innovative
technologies which are now
being used by the stakeholders
successfully?
Over the years many technologies
have been developed and transferred
to the farmers,
cooperative institutions, dairy and
food industries, and other such
stakeholders. This includes:
• Analytical methods for ascertaining
the quality of milk and milk
products. This includes: paper strip-
based methods for rapid detection
of common adulterants, antibiotic
residues and pesticide residues in
milk; and tests for differentiating
milk of different species and A1/A2
milk;
• Rapid methods for the detection of
dairy pathogens/hygienic indicator
such as: Listeria monocytogenes;
Escerichia coli; coliforms; and
Enterococci.
• Various innovative dairy food
products such as: shelf stable
nutritionally rich smoothies; Kheer
Mohan from cow and buffalo
milk; high protein iron-fortified
bajra biscuit; whey jaljeera drink;
Nutrimix; bajra lassi; low-Calorie
and fibre fortified misti dah; and
low cholesterol ghee.
Throw some light on your
achievements from the last 10
years.
ICAR-NDRI has developed innovative
solutions to address the problem of
quality of milk by developing cost-
effective new generation methods
for detection of adulteration and
contaminants in milk, paper-based
strips for rapid detection of pesticides
and antibiotic residues in milk, etc.
A number of starter cultures for
the fermented dairy products have
also been developed which include:
bioprocess for direct vat set misti dahi
culture; exopolysacchrides producing
lactic culture for preparation of low-fat
lassi; sugar tolerating lactic culture for
preparation of misti doi; indigenous
probiotic strains of Lactobacillus
fermentum
and
Lactobacillus
plantarum. A commercially feasible
encapsulation system was developed
for probiotic organisms suitable for
ambient storage in tropical (Indian)
climatic conditions.
The Institute has developed various
equipment and machines for dairy
products such as: microprocessor
based automated pneumatic hoop-
cum-pressing unit for mechanised
production of paneer and cheeses;
continuous mechanised system for
the commercial production of rabri;
continuous
kheer
manufacturing
equipment suitable for medium scale
processor; and a low cost can washer
system for efficient cleaning of cans
with a minimum amount of water.
As well as the institute is putting
efforts to commercialise the developed
technologies.
How is NDRI helping
entrepreneurs?
The institute has Technology Based
Incubator (TBI), which is an entity
generated to create a successful, viable
and free standing business within a
certain time frame. The main objective
of this is to promote knowledge-
based and innovation-driven dairy
enterprises in the country in order
to provide all the necessary support
and facilities such as: infrastructure
support;
technology/prototype
development
support;
research
Food Marketing & Technology
52
May 2019
assistance; financial support; and
marketing assistance; etc. required for
a budding entrepreneur.
Twenty-five entrepreneurs initiated
their
ventures
under
business
incubation through Society for
Innovation & Entrepreneurship in
Dairying (SINED) TBI during the
year 2013-18 and most of the ventures
initiated with the technologies sourced
from ICAR-NDRI, Karnal. Five of
our incubatees have been recognised
as start-ups by the Department
of Industrial Policy & Promotion
under the Ministry of Commerce.
Two students of ICAR-NDRI under
the mentorship of SINED (TBI) and
scientists of Dairy Chemistry Division
have launched their start-ups Delmos
Research Ltd. to provide strip based
adulteration kits for industry and
other stakeholders. Besides these start-
ups, about 215 entrepreneurs were
mentored, trained and assisted in
initiating their business ventures in the
field of dairy farming, milk processing,
food processing units and feed/fodder
production units. These start-ups were
linked with successful entrepreneurs
for sharpening of their technical skills
and marketing lessons.
Tell us about NDRI’s
contribution to overall dairy
development in the country?
As stated earlier, NDRI is contributing
in all three spheres of the dairy sector
namely dairy production, dairy
processing and dairy extension &
management. NDRI has developed
technologies and knowledge is being
disseminated to various stakeholders.
The Institute is continuously making
efforts to develop its R&D in order
to better serve the nation in terms of
food security, employment generation,
poverty alleviation and economic
prosperity. Another area, where NDRI
has made impact is in the area of
providing high-quality manpower to
meet the human resource requirements
for the overall dairy development in
the country.