DFRL to spread its technology in rural areas

Mysore, May 13 (UNI) The Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL), which has been catering to the needs of soldiers, has taken steps to spread its technologies in rural areas.

Aiming at promoting small scale and cottage industries, the DFRL in cooperation with the Horticulture Department held a training programme recently at its premises to demonstrate scientific processing of fruits and vegetables.

Over 100 people, including 80 women, from Nanjangud, H D Kote, Hunsur, Periyapatna and Mysore taluks participated in the programme.

DFRL sources told UNI that the programme was conducted in response to a request from the government for assistance to augment the small scale and cottage industries in rural areas. DFRL's priority had always been on research and now it had turned its attention to extend the research benefits to common people.

In the training, techniques of preservation and processing of fruits and vegetables, quality control and marketing the products such as jams, jelly, ketchup, sauce, chutneys from tomato, juice from beetroot, potato chips and others were taught.

Keeping in mind the popularity of ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook products in civilian market, the DFRL had evolved a simple scheme for the transfer of the know-how of these products for the benefit of entrepreneurs as part of the 'National Technology Day.' UNI