Government Committed to Transform India as a Global Hub for Wellness Food – Says Union Minister For Science & Technology Dr. Harsha Vardhan

Introduction

Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr Harshavardhan today unveiled a sequence of research outcome initiatives at CSIR - Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) in Mysuru today. The Minister launched the project for establishing an integrated Sugarcane Juice Processing and bottling unit in the campus.

The two tons per day plant will be commissioned in 90 days which will be ‘Drive-in Plant’ for sugarcane farmers of the nearby region.  CSIR-CFTRI has developed and patented a technology for bottling sugarcane juice with 4-months of shelf-life which has been commercialized by over 20 odd entrepreneurs.  The beverage which is natural with multitude of health benefits has the potential to dominate the emerging wellness market.  The unit has taken shape under the rural development programs of CSIR and soon such a unit will be replicated in association with farmers’ cooperatives and SHGs in other sugarcane growing regions.

He also released carbonated fruit juice products based on grape, apple and pomegranate with 20% fruit juices. Earlier the Prime Minister had asked multi-nationals to mix their carbonated drinks with fruit juices to help fruit farmers of the country.  Now the laboratory has come forward with a viable process which can help the country towards ‘Yellow Revolution’.  

“CSIR is committed to transform India as a global hub for wellness foods” Dr. Harsh Vardhan asserted. The Minister also inspected the facilities at the first nutraceutical incubation centre of the country being set up at CSIR-CFTRI along with an entrepreneurs cell.  The ‘Nutra-Phyto Incubation Centre & Common Instrumentation Facility (NPIC-CIF), established in the campus in collaboration with Government of Karnataka would facilitate discovery and development of new products/innovative technologies by providing world-class laboratories, Pilot Plant facilities, analytical testing and safety studies for promoting entrepreneurs, SHGs and SMEs.  Though start-ups are common with e-commerce and IT services, such enterprises in the areas as healthcare, agriculture, food sector and clean energy are just picking up.

Source

Press Information Bureau, January 04, 2016