The technology is useful for retention of nutrients in commodities especially spices

Ludhiana, October (7starnews)

In an effort to develop indigenous cryogenic technologies for food

processing, Central Institute of Post Harvest Engineering and

Technology has acquired a cryogenic grinder from Germany, which is the

most advanced technology for ensuring that solid food like spices do

not lose flavour and medicinal values and aroma during conventional

grinding process. The imported grinder has a cost of more than Rs 46

lakhs.



Notably, cryogenic technology is used for reducing temperature and

cryogenic engines are very commonly referred in space rockets for

launch of satellites. For last few years the technology has also found

its importance in food processing industry.



Studies have shown that during conventional grinding of solid foods

especially spices lose more than 60 percent of their natural

ingredients including aroma, flavor and medicinal value etc. This

happens because grinding process increases the temperature to more

than 45 degree Celsius, spices start losing their value," said CIPHET

Senior Scientist Dr S. Balasubramanian, adding that only cryogenic

grinder ensures retention of all these properties. "In addition to

this, commodities grinded through cryogenic grinder have more equal

distribution of flavour and medicinal values in food formulations than

conventional method."



Saying that only few IIT's and food processing plants of some MNC's

have this cryogenic grinder in India, Balasubramanian said that CIPHET

was only institute in Punjab to get this facility. "In cryogenic

grinder the temperature is lowered with the help of liquid nitrogen,

the reduction achieved in temperature ensures that natural ingredients

remain intact, which otherwise would have lost due to rise in

temperature," he said.



Balasubramanian said that they are working to develop indigenous

cryogenic grinder, which would cost less than Rs 20 lakh and with many

times increased capacity."If all goes well, we are hoping to develop

it by March next year," he said, adding so far due to high cost of

import very few industries could import them. But, this technology is

more useful for high value and low volume commodities like spices due

to high cost of processing in comparison to conventional grinding, he

added.



"Grinding any commodity to the finest size is essential to make

available its nutrients to the body very effectively. Though nano

science is emerging but traditional size reduction is the only way for

solid foods like spices. To retain the best of the flavours and not to

damage the micro nutrients due to heat generated during grinding the

cryogenic grinder from Germany, is a unique facility available at our

institute," said Director CIPHET Dr R.T Patil.
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