The grand conclusion of the 'World Food India 2024' event, held at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi, took place on Sunday. Organized by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, this mega food festival saw NIFTEM-Kundli signing 19 MoUs, completing 3 technology transfers and launching 2 products.
Startups and innovations from NIFTEM-Kundli, especially 'Sarathi,' the IoT-based hybrid dryer, biodegradable packaging films, and rapid detection kits, were the main attractions.On this occasion, Union Minister of Food Processing Industries, Mr. Chirag Paswan, emphasized that food safety and food processing are both crucial and incomplete without each other.
He also praised the startups of NIFTEM students, stating that he feels proud of these students who work tirelessly to strengthen the country's food security. Additionally, he commended NIFTEM for developing the rapid detection kit.
NIFTEM's 'Sarathi' (Solar Assisted Refrigeration Transportation with Hybrid Control and Intelligence) is a system designed to help store and transport fruits and vegetables at different temperatures safely. It allows remote monitoring of temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide and ethylene through a mobile app.
The system can maintain temperatures of 0-4°C and 8-12°C. If the vehicle is off and 220V power is unavailable, solar power can be used for air circulation. The IoT (Internet of Things)-based hybrid dryer is a special device that can dry food products in 4-5 hours using two methods.
It employs infrared and refractance window drying technology. The temperature and humidity can be remotely monitored, and with the help of a smart energy meter, the temperature and power consumption can be fully controlled through a mobile app.
At this mega food festival, NIFTEM-K signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with 19 prominent corporates, including Tetra Pak, Hexagon Nutrition Limited, LT Foods Limited, Fermata Biotech Limited, Tirupati Life Sciences Limited, Sahyadri Farms, Tata Consumer Products Limited (TCPL) and Hindustan Unilever Limited. Dr. Harinder Singh Oberoi, Director of NIFTEM-Kundli, stated that these collaborations are expected to promote sustainable practices in innovation, entrepreneurship and exploration in India's food sector.
Additionally, these partnerships will provide opportunities for NIFTEM students in research, projects and placements.This four-day event saw participation from over 90 countries, 26 states and union territories, and 18 central ministries.