Latest news with #CSIR-CentralFoodTechnologicalResearchInstitute
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
India will have to feed 1.7 bn people by 2030: Ex-director of CFTRI
Mysuru: By 2030, India will need to feed 1.7 billion people, which is a staggering demand that poses a major challenge to the nation's food supply chain, said V Prakash, former director of CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI). Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He was addressing a national seminar on plant proteins held at the CFTRI auditorium on Friday. Prakash noted that the daily demand includes consumption at homes, events, meetings, and weddings. "No single food production unit can meet this demand. We need thousands of factories, especially as consumer preference is rapidly shifting towards ready-to-eat food," he said. "Food technology, research institutions, and scalable production units will be critical in addressing this need," Prakash said. Highlighting a growing concern, HS Savitri, retired professor of biochemistry, warned about the detrimental impact of viruses on crop yields. "Viruses are reducing agricultural productivity by 10% to 30% annually, leading to losses estimated at $15 billion per year," she stated. She emphasised the need for scientific interventions to protect key crops like bananas, paddy, and tomatoes. For instance, the banana virus alone caused a Rs 350 crore loss between 2007 and 2010, while paddy viruses result in an annual loss of around $1 billion. The event also witnessed the launch of a CFTRI-developed 'Protein Slice'—a plant-based product. Additionally, CFTRI signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Good Food Institute to foster collaboration in research and development of sustainable food technologies. CFTRI director Sridevi Annapurna Singh was also present at the event.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Science
- The Hindu
As nutritional gap widens, CFTRI event in Mysuru focuses on plant proteins to address deficiency
A national symposium on 'Plant Proteins: Structure-function, Human Nutrition, and Technological Advances' was held at the CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) here on Friday. The symposium was organised to mark the 75th anniversary of CFTRI. As the country's premier food technology institute enters its 75th year of remarkable contribution in the area of food science and technology, it is commemorating the occasion with a series of scientific events and academic activities throughout the year. As a part of the celebrations, the CFTRI is hosting a platinum jubilee lecture series, serving as a platform for bringing together eminent personalities from the realms of science, academia, industry and innovation to share their knowledge. Through the lecture series, the CFTRI aims to foster knowledge-sharing, spark meaningful dialogue and inspire the next generation of scientists and technologists. The national symposium held on Friday is one such effort. Eminent scientists and delegates from various places took part in the event. Former CFTRI Director V. Prakash inaugurated the symposium in the presence of CFTRI Director Sridevi Annapurna Singh, H.S. Savitri, former professor in Biochemistry, IISc, Bengaluru; G. Narahari Sastry, professor, IIT, Hyderabad; Rekha S. Singhal, professor, ICT, Mumbai; and Viswajanani J. Sattigeri, head, CSIR-TKDL, New Delhi. Ms. Savitri delivered the platinum jubilee lecture on the topic 'Decoding the Structure and Function of Plant Viral Proteins: Relevance to Plant Protein Research and Biotechnology'. Mr. Prakash gave a talk on 'The Continuing Unique Global Saga of Plant Proteins @Cheluvamba Campus... Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow'. Mr. Sastry gave a talk on 'Machine Learning and AI applications in Protein Structure-function, Drug Discovery and Healthcare'; Ms. Singhal spoke on 'Plant Proteins: So Near and Yet So Far!'; and Ms. Sattigeri delivered a talk on 'Traditional Foods and Modern Concepts on Nutrition: Unity in Diversity'. The concluding lecture at the symposium was given by Ms. Sridevi Annapurna Singh, who spoke on 'My Odyssey with Proteins for Nutrition, Functionality and Health.' Dietary protein intake According to CFTRI, India's current dietary protein intake is dependent mainly on cereals such as wheat and rice, which contribute to nearly 60% of the total crop production, and yield approximately 22.6 million metric tons of protein. However, the protein quality of cereals, especially in terms of essential amino acids, is relatively poor compared to animal-based sources. 'This heavy reliance has led to widespread protein deficiency affecting an estimated 13 to 37.3% of the population across various age groups,' it stated. Nutritional gap To bridge the nutritional gap, there is a growing interest in alternative protein sources such as legume, mushrooms, and single cell proteins derived from microalgae, yeast, and bacteria. To discuss alternative protein sources, the Symposium was organised bringing together scientists, technologists, industry professionals, and young researchers to share knowledge and explore the current landscape, challenges and future directions in plant protein research. The symposium focused on structure-function relationships of plant proteins; alternate and smart proteins; therapeutic proteins and human nutrition and advanced technological solutions for large scale protein production, a note said.
The Hindu
13-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
CSIR-CFTRI Mysuru marks National Technology Day; highlights impactful achievements
The CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysuru, on Tuesday commemorated National Technology Day 2025 with the theme 'Empowering a Sustainable Tomorrow Through Innovation'. The event underscored CFTRI's commitment to science-led sustainable development, technology transfer, and industry partnership. Aashitosh A. Inamdar, Head, TTBD, spoke on the significance of the day. Highlighting a year of impactful achievements, Mr. Inamdar presented an overview of technology transfer and industry collaboration milestones achieved by CFTRI in 2024–25. These included the signing of three major agreements: A project agreement with MILMA, Wayanad Dairy (MRCMPUL); a technology transfer agreement with Kudumbashree, Kerala State Division for 94 technologies; and a project agreement with Tattva Nutri Foods Pvt. Ltd., Bengaluru. The client management system to connect the industry and other stakeholders for technology transfer, new product development and other industry engagements was also launched by the dignitaries on the occasion. Bhaskar Kalale, president of the TiE Mysuru chapter, was the chief guest and spoke about the vital role of technology in shaping a resilient and self-reliant future. The function was presided over by Sridevi Annapurna Singh, director, CSIR-CFTRI, who commended the institute's scientific teams and reinforced CFTRI's vision for translational research and public service. Outstanding scientists and teams, including B.B. Borse and team (for achieving the highest number of technology transfers, notably for Coffee Concentrate); M.V.R.K. Sarma and team (for a high-cost technology transfer involving transglycosylating-glucosidase); Rajeshwar S. Matche and team (for handling the highest number of sponsored industry projects); Babylatha and team (for a high-value industry-sponsored project), were presented with Certificates of Appreciation, a release from CFTRI said. The event reaffirmed CSIR-CFTRI's pivotal role in advancing food science and technology and fostering meaningful collaboration with industry for sustainable societal impact.
