 Food processing incubator at TNAU
A Rs 1.50 crore incubator for food processing was inaugurated at the Post-Harvest Technology Centre in the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) recently.
The incubator, under the scheme of Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), would carry out pilot scale research to perfect new design ideas and demonstrate the latest food processing technologies, said TNAU Vice-Chancellor, Dr C
Ramasamy.
The 4,500 sq ft food processing pilot plant houses separate processing areas for fruits reception, pulping and juice extraction, processing area with heat exchangers, evaporators and spray drier and packaging section with different machines..
The main objectives were to teach the students and to provide hands-on training in food processing and engineering, and as a research tool for R and D knowledge transfer in the field of food processing and also imparting training to the farmers, members of SHGs, NGOs and unemployed youth on processing and value addition, Ramasamy said.
The incubator was being set up by Mcgill University, Canada, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore and Dharwad, and TNAU, Dr Toopran Sampath Kumar, advisor, CIDA, said.
He said entrepreneurs could take on contract the plant to manufacture their products for the market for a nominal charge.
The entrepreneur has to pay Rs 5,000 non-refundable fee and enter into an MoU with TNAU, to use the facility for manufacturing food products, Ramasamy said.
(Agencies)
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