A centre for excellence in non-thermal processing was inaugurated at National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM),Thanjavur.
It has been established at a cost of ₹10 crore for promoting next generation technologies and meeting global standards in research and academics. The research facility houses advanced food processing machinery for high pressure processing, pulse electric field processing, ultrasound processing, supercritical extraction, cold plasma processing, ultraviolet and pulsed light processing and ozone processing. In addition, with the support of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, the centre will house a food irradiation unit.
The centre and an entrance arch at the institute were inaugurated by Pashupati Kumar Paras, Union Minister of Food Processing Industries, virtually, on Tuesday.
Describing it as a world class facility, Mr. Paras said the centre would promote research and development in advanced food processing areas in addition to strong industry collaborations, paving way for technology development and commercialisation. The facility would also provide training on these advanced food processing approaches.
NIFTEM also organised an awareness programme on Prime Minister’s Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) for self-help group members to commemorate International Women’s Day. Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Prahlad Singh Patel virtually inaugurated the programme. Participants were oriented to the scheme guidelines, grant-in-aid provisions, FSSAI regulations, packaging and value addition technologies. Around 250 women SHG members from Thanjavur and neighbouring districts participated.
Anita Praveen, Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, and Minhaj Alam, Joint Secretary, also participated.
C. Anandharamakrishnan, Director, NIFTEM, invited industries, farmers’ organisations, and SHGs to utilise the facilities at the institute.
NIFTEM-T being the nodal agency for skill development for PMFME scheme, it would provide handholding support for food industry start-ups, a press release from the institute said.
