MYSORE: Stress-relieving biscuits and anti-fatigue food bars will soon appear on more supermarket shelves as scientists at the Mysore-based Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL) commercialise food technology created for the armed forces. Their goal is to make convenience foods better than what nature has to offer.
From memory enhancing chocolates to performance enhancement foods, the laboratory is employing a small army of food scientists to help make the next generation of foods healthier and tastier, with a more understandable ingredient list.
"The food habits of people are changing fast. Working couples have less time to cook," says Dr A S Bawa, director of DFRL, one of the laboratories of the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO).
So the laboratory which caters to the varied food challenges for the Indian Armed Forces is now bringing these hi-tech foods to the wider market, by transferring technologies to entrepreneurs.
"One high energy chocolate bar can help a human being survive for days without food," says Bawa whose laboratory resembles a kitchen. Carefully labeled jars hold freeze-dried mangoes, dehydrated vegetables, curries and fresh salt. Interspersed within are glass beakers, large syringes, digital thermometers, food testing kits and bio-reactors used to test and certify the food.
During the Kargil War, DFRL supplied tonnes of food packets to provide sustained nutrition and control hunger. "These are foods designed to keep a person alert even during stressful situations such as war, tsunami and earthquakes," says H V Batra, associate director, DFRL.
The Lab has already completed over 550 technology transfers to nearly 220 entrepreneurs, who have built businesses on them. "The technical know-how has been transferred to leading food manufacturers such as MTR Foods, lTC Ltd, and companies such as ADF Foods apart from many entrepreneurs," says A D Semwal, scientist at DFRL. The institute is now setting up an incubation centre in Kerala to speed up the process of commercialising these technologies.
DEEPAK KUMAR
PGDM
From memory enhancing chocolates to performance enhancement foods, the laboratory is employing a small army of food scientists to help make the next generation of foods healthier and tastier, with a more understandable ingredient list.
"The food habits of people are changing fast. Working couples have less time to cook," says Dr A S Bawa, director of DFRL, one of the laboratories of the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO).
So the laboratory which caters to the varied food challenges for the Indian Armed Forces is now bringing these hi-tech foods to the wider market, by transferring technologies to entrepreneurs.
"One high energy chocolate bar can help a human being survive for days without food," says Bawa whose laboratory resembles a kitchen. Carefully labeled jars hold freeze-dried mangoes, dehydrated vegetables, curries and fresh salt. Interspersed within are glass beakers, large syringes, digital thermometers, food testing kits and bio-reactors used to test and certify the food.
During the Kargil War, DFRL supplied tonnes of food packets to provide sustained nutrition and control hunger. "These are foods designed to keep a person alert even during stressful situations such as war, tsunami and earthquakes," says H V Batra, associate director, DFRL.
The Lab has already completed over 550 technology transfers to nearly 220 entrepreneurs, who have built businesses on them. "The technical know-how has been transferred to leading food manufacturers such as MTR Foods, lTC Ltd, and companies such as ADF Foods apart from many entrepreneurs," says A D Semwal, scientist at DFRL. The institute is now setting up an incubation centre in Kerala to speed up the process of commercialising these technologies.
DEEPAK KUMAR
PGDM
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