Millets, an important cereal grains, have emerged as an alternative to the conventional major cereals due to the health and nutritional superiority. However, the processing of millets in convenience products is challenging. Keeping this in view, the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) inked a pact with RK Millet Delight, based at Kartarpur, for the licensing of value addition of millets through extrusion processing for extruded snacks and instant porridge. Dr Ajmer Singh Dhatt, Director of Research; and Mr Yogesh Salwan from RK Millet Delight, signed the Memorandum of Agreement in the presence of Dr GS Manes, Additional Director Research (Agricultural Engineering), PAU; and Ms Nitika Salwan and Mr Lakshay Bhardwaj from RK Millet Delight.
Dr Savita Sharma, Head, Department of Food Science and Technology, informed that the University has developed innovative and scalable technologies for the preparation of extruded snacks and instant porridge. These technologies enhanced the functionality and quality of millets along with increasing their shelf life and consumer acceptance through variety of convenience products, she observed. These technologies have also gained significant interest from entrepreneurs and food industries owing to their health and nutritional significance, she said.
Dr Khushdeep Dharni, Associate Director, Technology Marketing and IPR Cell, stated that value addition was a key for popularizing the consumption of millets and getting remunerative prices for growers and processors. He said that PAU was aligning with the growing demand for convenience functional foods and disseminating technologies to grass root level.
Dr Baljit Singh, Principal Food Technologist; and Dr Bobade Hanuman Pandurangrao, Food Technologist, were also present during the MoA signing ceremony.
Read more: https://www.pau.edu/index.php?_act=manageEvent&DO=viewEventDetail&dataE=datae&intID=9569
