Traditional foods from India are gaining recognition
all over the globe, but according to Ashok Sinha, former secretary,
Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), they need innovations
for their growth. He was in Mumbai for a seminar titled 'Traditional
Foods: Challenges and Innovations', held at the Institute of Chemical
Technology (ICT), Matunga, on September 28, 2013.
At the seminar, which was co-organised by ICT and the Mumbai chapter of the Association of Food Scientists and Technologists, India (AFSTM), and supported by the second phase of the Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme (TEQIP-II), Sinha appreciated the country's rich cultural background, of which a host of traditional foods, containing a variety of herbs and spices, are a part.
A book – titled 'Nutrition in Tradtional Therapeutic Food' and co-authored by G Subbulakshmi and M Subhadra – was launched at the event by Sinha; K D Yadav, all India president, Association of Food Scientists and Technologists, India (AFSTI); A I S Kumar, deputy director, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI); N P Kawale, director, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), and other members of AFSTI.
Concurring with Sinha's observation that traditional foods have always been appreciated across the country, Yadav said, “In the past, the kitchen was the domain of women, and they experimented with a number of things there. Now, we are faced with a number of challenges while reviewing the traditional foods.”
Kumar said the focus was on the safety standards for these foods, and if the international standards are adhered to, Indian traditional foods would go a long way. And terming Indian cuisine colourful and flavourful, Kawale said it was necessary to bring about a lot of innovations in traditional foods to face the challenges.
ICT's role
Rekha Singhal, head, food engineering and technology department (FETD), ICT, spoke about the institute's work on traditional foods.
Quoting Thomas Merton, she said, “Tradition, which is always old, is at the same time ever new, because it is always reviving, born again in each new generation, to be lived and applied in a new and particular way.”
“This describes the status of traditional Indian foods as they exist in the present times. Surviving thousands of years of civilisation, getting modified in the natural course of time, spreading its taste, flavour and a feeling of warmth to millions of its savourers all over the world, traditional Indian foods have stood the test of time,” Singhal added.
Technical sessions
The seminar featured two technical sessions.
First technical session
The first of these was titled 'Innovations, Technology and Processing Aspects'. It was chaired by Ashutosh Upadhyay, associate professor and head, Department of Food Science and Technology, National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM), and co-chaired by Harpal Singh Sokhi, chef and television anchor.
The panel comprised four members – Samana Tejani, director, production, Gits Foods Products Pvt Ltd (who spoke about technology updates); Prathap Shetty, associate professor and head, department of food science, Pondicherry University [who spoke about research and development (R&D) innovations]; Sunil Patel, associate professor, dairy engineering department, College of Dairy Science, Anand Agricultural University (AAU), who spoke about equipment innovations, and Sanjay Idnani of QSAFE Consultants, who spoke about quality certification.
Second technical session
The second technical session was titled 'Traditional Food: Challenges and Opportunities'. It was chaired by S B K Warrier, former scientist, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), and co-chaired by P N Shastri of AFSTI's Nagpur chapter.
The four-member panel comprised Girish Chitale, partner, Chitale Dairy (who spoke on marketing and consumer needs); Shashank Mhaske, assistant professor, Department of Polymer and Surface Engineering, ICT (who spoke on packaging); J I Lewis, food consultant (who spoke on regulatory challenges), and Priti Amritkar, director, Envirocare Labs (who spoke about analytical challenges).
Group discussion
Prabodh Halde, head, regulatory, Marico Ltd, was the moderator of a group discussion. The panel comprised Rajesh Awchat, managing director, Actchawa Ready-to-Cook Food; Iravati Barsode, director, Relief Phytopharmaceuticals; K U Methekar, food safety officer (FSO), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Maharashtra; Girish Pai, director, Natural Ice creams, and V G Pendse, consultant.
At the seminar, which was co-organised by ICT and the Mumbai chapter of the Association of Food Scientists and Technologists, India (AFSTM), and supported by the second phase of the Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme (TEQIP-II), Sinha appreciated the country's rich cultural background, of which a host of traditional foods, containing a variety of herbs and spices, are a part.
A book – titled 'Nutrition in Tradtional Therapeutic Food' and co-authored by G Subbulakshmi and M Subhadra – was launched at the event by Sinha; K D Yadav, all India president, Association of Food Scientists and Technologists, India (AFSTI); A I S Kumar, deputy director, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI); N P Kawale, director, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), and other members of AFSTI.
Concurring with Sinha's observation that traditional foods have always been appreciated across the country, Yadav said, “In the past, the kitchen was the domain of women, and they experimented with a number of things there. Now, we are faced with a number of challenges while reviewing the traditional foods.”
Kumar said the focus was on the safety standards for these foods, and if the international standards are adhered to, Indian traditional foods would go a long way. And terming Indian cuisine colourful and flavourful, Kawale said it was necessary to bring about a lot of innovations in traditional foods to face the challenges.
ICT's role
Rekha Singhal, head, food engineering and technology department (FETD), ICT, spoke about the institute's work on traditional foods.
Quoting Thomas Merton, she said, “Tradition, which is always old, is at the same time ever new, because it is always reviving, born again in each new generation, to be lived and applied in a new and particular way.”
“This describes the status of traditional Indian foods as they exist in the present times. Surviving thousands of years of civilisation, getting modified in the natural course of time, spreading its taste, flavour and a feeling of warmth to millions of its savourers all over the world, traditional Indian foods have stood the test of time,” Singhal added.
Technical sessions
The seminar featured two technical sessions.
First technical session
The first of these was titled 'Innovations, Technology and Processing Aspects'. It was chaired by Ashutosh Upadhyay, associate professor and head, Department of Food Science and Technology, National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM), and co-chaired by Harpal Singh Sokhi, chef and television anchor.
The panel comprised four members – Samana Tejani, director, production, Gits Foods Products Pvt Ltd (who spoke about technology updates); Prathap Shetty, associate professor and head, department of food science, Pondicherry University [who spoke about research and development (R&D) innovations]; Sunil Patel, associate professor, dairy engineering department, College of Dairy Science, Anand Agricultural University (AAU), who spoke about equipment innovations, and Sanjay Idnani of QSAFE Consultants, who spoke about quality certification.
Second technical session
The second technical session was titled 'Traditional Food: Challenges and Opportunities'. It was chaired by S B K Warrier, former scientist, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), and co-chaired by P N Shastri of AFSTI's Nagpur chapter.
The four-member panel comprised Girish Chitale, partner, Chitale Dairy (who spoke on marketing and consumer needs); Shashank Mhaske, assistant professor, Department of Polymer and Surface Engineering, ICT (who spoke on packaging); J I Lewis, food consultant (who spoke on regulatory challenges), and Priti Amritkar, director, Envirocare Labs (who spoke about analytical challenges).
Group discussion
Prabodh Halde, head, regulatory, Marico Ltd, was the moderator of a group discussion. The panel comprised Rajesh Awchat, managing director, Actchawa Ready-to-Cook Food; Iravati Barsode, director, Relief Phytopharmaceuticals; K U Methekar, food safety officer (FSO), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Maharashtra; Girish Pai, director, Natural Ice creams, and V G Pendse, consultant.
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