Call to use technology in food sector in a big way

CFTRI Director advocates helpline to preserve, reuse food

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Visitors thronging stalls at ‘Foodtech’ exhibition at Tamukkam Ground in Madurai on Friday.

With the use of modern technology, food going waste may be collected, preserved and certified for consumption, according to Ram Rajasekaran, Director, Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysuru.

Inaugurating the four-day ‘Foodtech’ expo, organised by MADITSSIA at Tamukkam Ground here on Friday, Prof. Rajasekaran said institutions such as MADITSSIA could examine the modalities of having an exclusive helpline, through which people could pass information on excess food available with them.

Instead of being wasted, the food items could be sent to a centre, where they could be preserved and reused. Marriage halls, hotels, restaurants and industrial canteens could be informed of such a helpline, he suggested.

The food items thus collected could be preserved and packed in such a way that their nutritional value remained intact for the next two or three days, and they could be offered to people in need. CFTRI scientists would provide technological support to achieve this task, he added.

He appealed to the people in food trade to understand the need of the consumers and the current trend.

Technology played a crucial role in food industry right from production to packaging. Food producers had to focus on nutrition security and nutrition safety.

Daniel Chellappa, Senior Scientist, Bhaba Atomic Research Centre, released the exhibitor directory and stressed the importance of technology in food sector. Expo chairman G. Kandaswamy said products had been displayed in over 125 stalls and an exclusive food court was open on all four days.

MADITSSIA president L. Murari welcomed the gathering and K.P. Murugan, secretary, proposed a vote of thanks.