Food Processing Industry

•  Punjab, Haryana and eastern Uttar Pradesh are recognised as food bowl of the country. Well-established irrigation system and robust infrastructure have boosted cultivation of wheat, rice and several other cash crops such as mandarin orange (kinnow). But still in these areas there is less growth of food processing industry.

Food processing industry

• Food processing involves fruits, vegetables, milk, meat, poultry, fisheries, grains, pulses and oil seeds. Traditional way of food processing is sun drying, fermentation, soaking, murabas, chutneys, achars, idlis, etc.
• With time, our diet and food habits have evolved and so has the food processing industry. There has been some progress in food processing, for example grading and waxing of fruits like kinnows, that has increased shelf life and value of the produce, which is now being transported to different parts of the country.
• The juice industry has also emerged for extraction and packaging, but without major progress. Aerated drinks are dominated by international industries.
• Milk is remunerative industry with tremendous potential. Grain processing is better in north as these cannot be consumed without processing. Many small-scale processing units, along with a few bigger ones, are already into this field, but still there is a scope for growth.
• Vegetable processing mainly involves potato, tomato and green peas. In north India, largest sale of vegetables and fruits is in the raw or unprocessed forms.
• They are mostly confined to the domestic level, therefore, offering a huge scope for the processing industry.
• With busy lifestyle and eating on the run, consumers are accepting processed food. This is expected to increase the value of produce. It also creates demand for producing more. There is a need for hygienic and ready-to-eat innovative products with good taste and high nutritional value.

Why there is less growth of Food processing industry?

• Food processing industry is a fast-growing sector, but it is showing minimum growth in north India. Major factors responsible include poor investment by the industry, overdependence on government schemes and grants, and poor knowledge of key concepts in food processing, product development and general training.
• Farmers are interested in cultivation of wheat and rice, as these are assured income crops, besides being less labour intensive. Vegetable and fruit production and consumption can be increased by creating convenient, healthy products.

How to achieve high growth?

• The main factors responsible for food processing industry are: cold chain facilities, product Food cleaning, edibility and safety. Other important factors are shelf-life, new variety, convenience and diversity while preserving quality.
• Easy to open packaging, re-closable containers, small quantity of food may be better for elderly population. Understanding market and ethnical versus traditional are also important point of consideration. Diverse, high quality food in ways that have never been done before, through attractive packaging with labels like free from chemicals or adulteration, attract consumer attention.
• Food spoilage due to insects, moisture, light, heat, oxygen that may cause colour and flavour changes need to be considered.
• Preservation by refrigeration, pasteurisation, oxygen control by replacing with nitrogen, water content reduction by dehydration of concentrates, replacing part oxygen by carbon dioxide (3 per cent), irradiation-based contamination reduction, freeze concentration, filtration, osmotic dehydration, solar or hot air dryer enhance shelf life of produce. Added preservatives like sodium sorbate, salt, sugar, pH, fermentation can be important for preservation.
• Good manufacturing practices have to be followed for commercial food processing. It includes potable water, good product flow, separation of raw material and finished products, screened windows and doors to avoid insects and proper washing facility etc.

Way forward:

• It is important that food processor must be proactive in seeking opportunities. Several innovative storage, preservation and minimal processing technologies need to be developed day by day. It should be able to cater to national or international demands. It is no longer sufficient to be reactive and wait to see what trends are coming along before taking any action in response to them.

By: Vishal