March 29: New technologies of food processing can be used to improve the quality of locally processed food to capture the global market. There is also an immense scope for employment opportunities in the food processing industry for the youths.

This was said by experts at a workshop on Career and Business Prospects in Food Processing that was conducted by the regional centre of the Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology in collaboration with the department of biological sciences of Gauhati University on the university’s premises today.

The programme was funded by the Union ministry of food processing industries. A number of university students participated in the workshop.

“We still do not have an organised food processing industry in the state. Processing of food is being done in a small way like manufacturing jams, sauces and fruit juices. Besides, the raw material used in making these items are found in abundance here. If courses on food processing are introduced in all the universities, students will be able to learn it and then opt for a career in this sector. An organised industry will also help create employment opportunities for a large number of people,” said Manab Deka, head of the department of biologial sciences of Gauhati University.

“The food processing industry at present is growing rapidly. And now new technologies are being applied to make the food processing technique on a par with international standards. Here, too many people are engaged in processing of food, but they have not been able to capture the global market so far. Our motive is to equip them with the knowledge on how to improve the quality of their processed food using innovative techniques that they can very easily use,” said K. Suresh Kumar, associate professor of the Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology.

“Today, the workshop focused on motivating the students to take an interest in the food processing industry. Those with entrepreneurial skills definitely have scope to choose it as their career. Entrepreneurs can expect to earn good profits by making use of the advanced technologies of food processing available today,” Deka said.

“Many of the indigenous people here are involved in making fermented food products using traditional techniques. In such workshops we try to create awareness among those involved in agriculture and even butchers on how they can combine the traditional method with modern technology for processing of edibles. Today, emphasis is laid on food safety. We also educate them on ways to maintain the highest standard of hygiene while processing food,” Kumar said.