City-based Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) has developed packaging technology to increase the shelf life of traditional products like ‘Godhi Huggi’ and ‘Prasadam’.
Now, ‘Godhi Huggi’, a traditional sweet of North Karnataka, is available in canned form and the product’s shelf life has increased for around one year. ‘Godhi Huggi, which is being prepared using wheat, is a payasam like sweet. Dharwad-based food company Latti Foods is producing and marketing the product.
Another product ‘Prasadam’, which is being distributed by Avadhootha Datta Peetham, Mysuru, to the devotees, will be available in tin-free steel cans. The product has a shelf life of three months.
‘Hurdle technology’
According to H S Sathish, Chief Scientist and Head of Food Packaging Technology, CSIR-CFTRI, Avadhoota Datta Peetham had approached the CFTRI for the development of prasadam with long shelf life. The prasadam produced using wheat, jaggery, ghee, cashew, badam, is being developed using hurdle technology.
Hurdle technology is a method of ensuring that pathogens in food products can be eliminated or controlled. This means the food products will be safe for consumption, and their shelf life will be extended. Hurdle technology usually works by combining more than one approach.