Tura, Feb 7: The Directorate of Food Processing, Govt of Meghalaya in collaboration with the College of Community Science, Central Agricultural University, Tura, Meghalaya, conducted a hands-on training programme on value addition of jackfruit from February 1 to February 6.
The training was conducted in two batches, with 15 trainees in each batch for a duration of three days each. The trainees were handpicked by the office of the District Horticulture Officer. Jackfruit is gaining recognition the world over, with people looking for alternatives to meat. Jackfruit is now popularly used as a ‘vegan meat’ and the demand for tender jackfruit is on the rise.
With the level of the carbon footprint that livestock farming leaves behind, the growing numbers of environment conscious people are turning to other alternatives. Keeping this perspective, the experts at the College of Community Science College have trained the participants on how to increase the shelf life of tender jackfruit by the simple process of bringing the fruit.
The technology was standardized by Natasha R. Marak, Assistant Professor, Dept of Food Science & Nutrition and is now being disseminated to the farmers. Only a handful of companies in the world market tender jackfruit that are canned in brine solution. The technology is secretly guarded by the companies that produce them. The shelf life of canned/brined jackfruit is at least six months, giving ample time for the product to be marketed to any part of the globe. The main season for jackfruit starts from March to July, however off-season varieties, popularly known as ‘Baromasi’ are available in pockets throughout Garo Hills. The main focus therefore was on tender and mature jackfruit products. Chips and papads were prepared from mature jackfruit and the seeds and mature bulbs were dried and powdered for preparing flour. Jackfruit seed and bulb flour are popularly used as a replacement for refined wheat flour in baked products and chapatis and possesses tremendous health benefits.
The Dean of the College, Dr Puspita Das, emphasized on the importance of the trainees to take these technologies forward to build enterprises, starting from home-scale level. Mr M.D Arengh, the District Horticulture Officer, West Garo Hills, motivated the trainees to use the knowledge gained from the training to their advantage, citing the example of Shri Nanadro B Marak who was recently awarded the Padma Shree by the President of India.
It is worthwhile to note that the Govt of Meghalaya launched the Mission Jackfruit in July, 2018, to tap the potential of the fruit to improve the livelihood of the people of the state. The Techno Incubation Centre (TIC) is proposed to be set up in the College of Community Science, Tura.
