The Hindu : Kerala News : Canning industry pins hopes on new polymer-coated steel

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 20, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Canning industry pins hopes on new polymer-coated steel

By K. S. Sudhi

KOCHI, SEPT. 19. Hopes of revival of the almost-defunct canning industry has brightened with a group of fisheries scientists successfully developing low-cost polymer-coated steel cans for marketing fish, fish products and vegetable.

The technology is expected to breathe fresh life into the canning industry, which is in dire straits due to the high cost of the cans that are imported. Besides the cost factor, the food products getting a metallic taste from the tins and the absence of easy open-ends for opening the cans stunted the growth of the canned food industry. The industrial units were also concerned about the leaching of lacquers that were coated inside the cans. Lack of mechanical strength of the metal used for the cans was another area of worry for the industry.

However, the polymer-coated steel can, developed by the institute, successfully addressed these issues, claim scientists.

The new cans would successfully replace the retortable pouches and the existing other metallic cans. They can be used for ready-to-cook and ready-to-serve convenience products from supermarkets, scientists hope.

The team of scientists led by T. K. Srinivasa Gopal developed containers without joints and with easy open-ends like that of cola cans. The other members of the research team were C. N. Ravisankar and P. K. Vijayan.

Non-reactive

The polymer coating in the cans was found to be non-reactive to a number of acidic and non-acidic foodstuffs and could be used for packing vegetables, sweets, seafood, meat and fruits, the scientists say.

The studies conducted at the CIFT revealed that food products packed in the cans had a shelf life of two years without any change of taste. The cans developed by the CIFT are cheaper than the tin and aluminium cans. They are suitable for processing variety of fish and fishery products with good shelf life, says the Institute director, K. Devadasan.

The price of the 6 oz steel can is Rs. 4.50.

During the heydays, there were 25 canning units that were registered with the Marine Products Export Development Agency. Their combined production was around 84 tonnes per day.

The first canning unit in the State was established way back in 1911 at Chaliyam. The industry flourished during the late seventies and the country exported around 2,200 tonnes of canned shrimps in 1973.

Decline

However, the decline of the industry started in the Eighties with most of the units downing shutters. Currently, in the Government sector, the Lakshadweep Development Corporation and the Integrated Fisheries Project are the only ones that are running canning units. The number of canning units in the private sector has come down to just three.

The increased security concern in the West, one of the biggest market for seafood, following the September 11 attack, has come as a blessing in disguise for the canning industry. Most of the marine products exporters have aired their concern over the delay in getting the statutory clearance for deep-frozen seafood due to the increased vigil to avert possible acts of bio-terrorism. They were also worried about the increased cost of refrigeration due to the delay in obtaining the clearance.

However, the new cans, which assure ensure shelf life for food products, can become a viable alternative for the issues faced by seafood exporters, claim scientists.

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