Revolutionizing Hurdle Technology to Preserve Fruits’ Freshness: How DRDO Made a Breakthrough
The Defence Research and Development Organisation has developed a novel technology for preserving fruits that is much more effective than any existing methods. Also called Hurdle Technology, this has the potential to change the entire scope of fruit preservation in India.
The Problem with Preservation of Fruits
India is the second biggest producer of fruits in the world with a share greater than 10% in the global market. However, a lot of fruits are wasted within the country due to the inability to preserve them effectively. Much effort can be put towards finding better methods, beyond conventional canning, freezing, and dehydrating, as these have a set amount of energy and nutrition that they can preserve while being too expensive.
What Is Hurdle Technology?
By adding a number of preservation strategies together, Hurdle Technology increases the chances of synergetic effects occurring. This means that the microorganisms that could potentially spoil fruit over time can be eliminated, thus lengthening the shelf-life. Barries are created to restrict the growth of unwanted bacteria or fungi.
Some of the components of the technology are:
Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP): consists of switching out the air in packaging for a mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide in order to stop the growth of microorganisms.
Gamma Radiation: Hurdle technology uses mild doses of gamma radiation to sterilize and prevent spoilation in fruits.
Antimicrobial Coatings: Applying a particular type of coating inhibits the development of harmful microorganisms.
Temperature Control: Ensuring minimal temperature conditions while storing and transporting fruits helps to curtail the growth of microbes.
Benefits of Hurdle Technology
Hurdle technology designed by DRDO boasts a number of advantages:
Extended Shelf Life: Preserves fruits for months without considerable loss of quality and nutritional value.
Reduced Energy Consumption: The technology does not require refrigeration, hence less energy consumption and cost.
Improved Food Safety: Using several methods of preservation guarantees that the fruits are safe for consumption free from food borne ailments.
Increased Economic Benefits: Farmers, processors, and exporters stand to gain economically by reducing losses and extending shelf life through hurdle technology.
Conclusion
In fruit preservation, DRDO's Hurdle technology is a revolutionary aspect for those in the industry. An approach that utilizes several techniques in fruit preservation, her Hurdle Technologies primary objective is to provide an affordable and efficient way to eliminate the growing problem of energy waste and expensive fruit preservation. With India emerging as a global leader in fruit production, this technology can change the fruit preservation scenario for the good and serve the farmers, processors, and consumers in the best way possible.