INDIA – Swiss technology firm Bühler India has announced a strategic collaboration with Nutrihub, the Technology Business Incubator, to advance millet processing technologies and enhance the industrial application of millets in India
The collaboration, supported by the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, and hosted by the Indian Institute of Millet Research (IIMR), ICAR—IIMR, Hyderabad, seeks to open new markets for millet and millet-based products.
IIMR conducts strategic research to increase the productivity of millets and their diversified utilization at a national level.
Despite India producing approximately 19-20 million tons of millet annually, only about 2 million tons are processed on an industrial scale.
The collaboration between Bühler India and Nutrihub-IIMR is set to address this gap by focusing on extending shelf life, enhancing flour properties, and increasing processing yields. This initiative seeks to overcome the challenges in millet processing, making it more efficient and scalable.
A significant element of this partnership is the research into advanced grinding methods, conducted at Bühler’s Application Center and Analytical Laboratory.
The Application Center is designed to foster collaboration between industry experts and partners. It features six process lines and over 30 machines dedicated to conducting comprehensive product and machine trials.
Meanwhile, the Analytical Laboratory will perform detailed physical, chemical, and quality analyses of grains to ensure superior product quality, further advancing grinding techniques.
Shashidhar Subramanya, Head of Corporate Technology at Bühler India, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating, “We are committed to fostering innovation in the food processing industry, and millets hold immense potential for the future of food.”
Subramanya reiterated that the collaboration with Nutrihub-IIMR brings together Buhler’s expertise in processing technologies with the institute’s in-depth knowledge of millets.
“We are confident that this partnership will yield significant advancements in processing solutions, making millets more accessible, nutritious, and enjoyable for consumers worldwide.”
Dr. B Dayakar Rao, Chief Executive Officer of Nutrihub, IIMR, emphasized the global significance of this partnership.
“This collaboration is part of a larger strategic alliance between Bühler and Nutrihub, ICAR-IIMR, aiming to revolutionize millet processing worldwide. The collaboration focuses on researching the effects of different milling technologies on major millets and specifying milled millet fraction requirements for various end-user product applications.”
He noted that this research opens new markets and applications for millet processing and value addition worldwide by improving the efficiency, quality, and versatility of millet-based products.
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