EXHIBITION AT CFTRI MYSORE: part III

Welcome back to the third episode of Exhibition at CFTRI Mysore, I hope my previous articles were helpful. Just like the previous articles, even today’s article is all about food and its latest technologies. So, Have a look at the rest of the departments of CFTRI and what new they are introducing us. 

Fruit and vegetable products:

Kokum jelly candy: 

Kokum (Garcinia indica) is used in many culinary processes in India. My grandma makes very delicious fish curry using kokum. 'Kokum kadi' is a famous delicacy in Goa-Konkan region of India. My grandma even makes syrup out of it as a home remedy for urinary infections. So traditionally we have been using kokum in various things and given a prominent role in traditional medicines and cuisines. 

Kokum fruit peel 

But what I found in the ‘Fruit and vegetable products’ department simply amazed me. “Production of kokum jelly candies”, Yummmmm!!! Kokum jellies are made from the dried fruit peel of kokum, sugar, pectin and sodium benzoate. There are no added colour, flavour and preservatives in the jellies. Hence, the kokum jellies are safe for all groups of people as it has many health benefits and naturally made.

Administering kokum jellies to the visitors  

Osmo-dried vegetables and fruits: Do you have kids who do not want to finish vegetables from their plates? Then you must try this osmo-dried vegetable recipe. 

 Fruits and vegetables are diced first and then soaked in sugar syrup for 10-12 hours. Then these veggies are completely dried in hot air oven or solar cookers. If you do not have solar cooker, then sun dry it by covering it with a mesh. Make sure to dry it up dust free.

 Osmo-dried vegetables are the perfect recipe for snacks or for the mid-day lunch box. The osmo-dried veggies are free from microbial attack and have a shelf life of 3-5 months. Sugar acts as a natural preservative. I tasted some osmo-dried carrots and pineapples, both the recipes were succulent and juicy. It is safe for diabetic patients either. If you do not like sugar then the same recipe can be tired with salt solution.

Ready to serve beverages/ carbonated beverages: 

Ready to serve fresh fruit juices are neatly bottled up using this machine. 

 Fresh grape juices were served to all the visitors, it was completely sugar free and one can taste the freshness of the grape pulp.

Unit of fresh fruit juice extractor

Convenience foods:

The department of convenience foods have introduced us to variety of ready mixes like idli, dosa, vada, chakli, jamoon, jalebi, doughnuts etc. Credit for the production of low fat expanded snacks goes to this department as well. And have you ever heard of instant sambar mix with the benefits of soya in it? Then this product has to be tried.

 

Nutra chikki with added spirulina: Peanut cake/ chikki is my all-time favourite snack; imagine the famous peanut chikki with the blend of Spirulina in it? Sounds so nutritious right! Hence this product is named as nutra-chikki with added Spirulina. Spirulina is a protein rich cyanobacteria used in chocolates and smoothies recipes. 

Tamarind candy: If you are a kid of 90’s then you must have relished the mouth-watering tamarind candies. Convenience food department has made these tamarind candies with a twist of spices. Altogether, I munched on my childhood memories with this natural blend of tamarind candies.

Photo gallery: Microbiology and fermentation process: 

Yeast culture

Fruit and vegetable vinegar

Selective medias

Culture of soya curd and Bifido curd

Biogas digester

Red rice/ Monasacus fermented rice culture:   The red rice is rich in nutrients and required in only small quantities. Unlike the golden rice, the Red rice is not genetically modified but cultured using tissue culture technique. The red colour of the rice is due to the pigment extracted from a fungi. 

A-Hango: 

 This is a boon for all my friends who wants to get rid of hangovers after their parties. This sachet contains microbes which help in combating the effects due to aldehyde build up in the body. Fantastic product indeed. 

Panchasudha: This is a dairy product which is similar to panchamrutha (a sweet administered to devotees in Hindu tenples). All you need to do is just add 100ml of water to 25g sachet of panchasudha, stir in some chopped banana and dry fruits for more flavours. This product is in great demand as CFTRI is standardising the prasadams of temples like Chamundi hill temple Mysore, Shabarimalai of Kerala, Shirdi of Maharashtra and Palani of Tamil nadu. Sooner the Panchasudha will be served in Chamundi hill temple Mysore (source: Star of Mysore newspaper 5th Nov 2018). 

So that’s it for the day. In my next article, Bakery product, beverage products, cereal products and plantation & spice products will be introduced. Keep reading ‘What’s around us’ for more such exciting articles every Tuesday.

Announcements: There is a 5 weeks of skill development programme on Baking technology held by the department of Flour milling, baking and confectionery technology from 21st of January 2019 to 22nd Feb 2019. Login to www.cftri.com for more information. 

My special thanks to director, scientists and the researchers of CFTRI Mysore for their kind co-operations and providing me the necessary information.