TIRUCHI: A thrust is given for value addition of horticultural crops in Tiruchi region with the commissioning of a full-fledged high-tech laboratory for preserving the produce, at the Agricultural Engineering College and Research Institute, at Kumulur, near Lalgudi, in the district by the Vice-Chancellor of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), C. Ramaswamy.

The laboratory has been established under the Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) technology programme of the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), for the first time in an agricultural engineering college in the country. The equipment installed include a packaging machine from Italy, a temperature measurer from Canada, a colour measurer from the United States and texture analyser from the United Kingdom.

To begin with, the laboratory will analyse preservation techniques for four horticultural crops - banana, onion, tomato and mango.

ith the Tiruchi region noted for large-scale cultivation of banana and mango, the technology is expected to benefit a large number of horticulturists. The technology reduces oxygen and increases carbondi-oxide even while retaining the level of nitrogen.

Inaugurating the laboratory, the Vice-Chancellor said that the laboratory would pave way for higher profitability for horticulturists and appealed to scientists and students to expand the ambit of horticultural activities with an eye on exports.

The Dean of the college, C.T. Devadas, said that efforts were already under way to convert the laboratory into a knowledge centre for food and processing technologies.

The project in-charge, K. Alagusundaram, said that though the outcome of the technology was assured, the laboratory would observe the crops preserved to detect any change in taste, content, and quality.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail