Mysuru: The Defence Food Research Laboratory, which is widely known for developing and producing safe and nutritious food has signed an agreement with Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) where ready to eat food making technology will be transferred to the railways. The DFRL lab will be employing the latest retort technology for this purpose and the agreement to this effect was signed between the two on June 27, 2016.
DFRL signs an agreement with Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation
DFRL has been providing technology transfer on a trial basis since 2012, which includes ready to eat items like vegetable pulav, paneer curry, dal curry, roti and chicken curry and based on the satisfactory response, various food items are being developed now using the new technology.
The food can be packed in flexi packs and can be preserved for 12 months under normal temperatures in different environmental conditions. DFRL has developed semi-automatic bulk sterilisers with an investment of Rs 20 lakh on each which can process food items varying between 250 to 750 kgs in one cycle/batch. The import cost for the same equipment will be around Rs 5 crore.
DFRL has transferred this technology to 20 Indian companies including MTR foods, PTC, Kohinoor Tasty, Chokidhani foods, Annamalayar foods, Haldirams and fine foods among others. These companies are supplying food items using DFRL technology to package different products and are supplying in India and abroad.
The agreement was signed between DFRL Director Dr Rakesh Kumar Sharma and IRCTC Chairman and Managing Director Dr AK Manocha at DFRL in Mysuru and the agreement copies were exchanged between them.
The Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL) under the aegis DRDO, at Mysuru was established to cater to the strategic operational requirements of Indian defence forces and paramilitary troops and to provide logistical support in the area of food supplies.
