Visit to CFTRI, Mysore: Dept. of PG studies in FSN

The Department of P. G Studies in Food Science and Nutrition had organised an educational visit for the M.Sc. students on 07th July 2022 to Central Food Technological Research Institute, situated in Mysore . The visit mainly focused providing the students with a broad-spectrum knowledge on various departments of CFTRI, the functioning and the career opportunities in the field of research.

The visit to CFTRI was guided by Dr. Parigi Ramesh Kumar, who first enlightened the students on the history of CFTRI and explained different departments which consisted of 20 in number. He even briefed the students on various aspects of food processing from f arm to plate, paying more importance to food safety, consumer preference and nutritional quality. The presentation done by Dr. Parigi Ramesh Kumar included various value-added products developed by CFTRI which included virgin coconut oil, cereal mix, clear banana juice, aerated fruit juices and soon which are beneficial to the community on the nutritional point of view.

Dr. Parigi Ramesh Kumar gave a tour of the institute and in brief here showed the working of 3 food processing sectors. The first unit mainly consisted on processing equipment used for separation, drying, steaming. The students were demonstrated on the preparation and processing of ready to eat mini idlis and sambar. The idli batter was poured to the mould and weighed to make sure all the idlis were similar in weight and was steamed. The steamed idlis were further dried in the drier. The chopped vegetables were also dehydrated simultaneously and sambar powder was added to it. All the components were packed together for shipping.

The second sector the students had the glimpse of various equipment through which mechanically the food items like dosa, idli, chapati, ragi mudde can be made with a speed of 300-350 numbers in an hour. The processing unit had equipment that is employed in coffee processing and sugar cane juice extractor that prevents oxidation of extracted juice.

The third sector mainly concentrated on processing of fruits and vegetables where different equipment was used sorting, mechanical peeling, jam preparation, bottleling of the jam, squash. There was a unit adjacent to the processing plant where exotic and local foods were grown. The students were also shown on various quality checking units.

On the whole the educational visit provided the students a great amount of knowledge pertaining to different aspects of processing and product development.