The Hindu Business Line : Value-added soya products developed

Large-scale efforts are currently going on to fight malnutrition and under-nutrition, especially among women and children in rural areas. The chronic deficiency in calorie and protein intake in the country is well known.

Despite being the world’s largest producer of a variety of pulses (13-14 million tonnes) and fifth largest producer of soyabean (7-8 mt) (both are protein-rich legumes), not enough efforts have gone into popularising the use of vegetable protein.

Changing lifestyles

With changing lifestyles, health consciousness and awareness about nutrition is rising. But this is confined largely to urban areas. Innovative ideas are required to produce and market protein-rich foods for those who really need them.

It is in this context that the Bhopal-based Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering (CIAE) has put in efforts to develop several innovative products and processes designed to fight malnutrition by exploiting the health benefits of domestically grown soyabean.

Soya unit

As many as 24 soya products and 18 processing equipment for preparation of those and six pilot scale processing facilities have been developed by CIAE, according to Dr S.D. Kulkarni, Project Director of Soyabean Processing and Utilisation Centre under CIAE.

The soya-based products developed include protein-rich and multi-purpose full-fat soya flour, soya-paneer (also known as Tofu) and soya-fortified biscuits.

Full-fat soya flour is one of the simplest soya-based food products to be used in combination with cereals and pulses. A 10 per cent blending of soya flour is recommended.

Products such as soya-paneer (tofu), soya-yoghurt and other dairy analogues can also be prepared. Soya-fortified biscuits are said to have a great potential for combating protein calorie malnutrition at low cost.

Through research, the institute has developed processing equipment for many soya products. Interestingly, to encourage entrepreneurs to invest in processing facilities and create business opportunities, the institute has come out with financial aspects of production of various value-added soya products.

Dr Kulkarni told Business Line that a series of training programmes have been scheduled for 2007-08, especially targeting upcoming entrepreneurs and unemployed youth.

One of the important aspects of encouraging soyabean utilisation could be to ensure that growers themselves consume adequate quantities of soya-based products.