The Ministry of Food Processing Industries organized India’s First Virtual Processed Food R&D Expo 2021 from 20th to 22nd January 2021 for showcasing the outcomes of R&D projects supported by the Ministry to premier Food Technology Institutions of India. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) was the National Event partner for this Virtual event.
Shri Rameswar Teli, Minister of State, Ministry of Food Processing Industries inaugurated the First Virtual Expo 2021 for R&D in the processed food sector on 20th January 2021 in presence of policy-makers, leading entrepreneurs, and academicians of the food processing industry. For the first time, a platform was envisaged to present the information on products, processing, and technology development as well as latest trends in innovations by different Food Technology Development Institutes of the country like NIFTEM, IIFPT, CFTRI, ICAR, IIT's and many more.
Shri Rameswar Teli, MoS, FPI also launched the R&D portal of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries developed in association with NIFTEM during the inaugural event which will be available to all stakeholders. The Research & Development Portal of MoFPI presents the outcomes of the R&D works of the various Institutes involved in Food Processing and Value Addition in India. The Portal has the facilities to explore the technological solutions in the form of food products, process technology, and food processing machinery in 3-ways. Search the food product/process technology/processing machinery / R&D Institute/scientist directly from the search bar. About 200 research projects are available on the portal. The R&D portal will be continuously updated by including the R&D contributions from various Institutes across the country, thus serving as the repository of innovations and technological solutions.
Research and Development in the processed food sector is an important area where focused attention is required, as it leads to improved trade, production, quality, consumer safety, and public health. There is a need for up-gradation of processing, handling, packaging, storage, and distribution technologies for all major processed food products, so as to meet domestic & international food regulations & standards. Recognizing this, the focus areas of this event consisted of virtual showcasing 70+ research projects and technologies across the following five distinct halls in the Exhibition Pavilion.
- Novel Food Products
- Innovations in Food Engineering
- Food Safety & Quality Evaluations
- Food Packaging Solutions
- Food Industry Waste Utilization
The three-day event witnessed encouraging participation from nearly 3000+ delegates both from India and abroad across different segments like Food Processing and Packaging Industry players, Policy Makers & development partners, Food start-ups and innovators, Academia & Research Institutions, and many more.
Informative webinars and panel discussions on the latest trends, innovation, research, and development in the Food Sector comprising speakers from Government Bodies & Institutions, policymakers, Business Leaders, and Academic Institutions were also held in the Virtual Auditorium during the three days of the event. The sessions were also streamed live on FICCI’s YouTube channels with the details as follows:
| Name of Session | Date & Time | YouTube Link |
|---|---|---|
| Session 1: Inaugural Session and Unveiling of India's 1st Virtual Processed Food R&D EXPO 2021 | 20 January 2021| 01:10-01:30 PM | https://youtu.be/0agQ89R1Wrk |
| Session 2: Building Synergies: Stakeholder Collaboration for optimizing Technology Interventions and Creating New Business Opportunities | 21st January 2021 | 09.45 –10:45 AM (IST) | https://youtu.be/lYtwazpVmZ8 |
| Session 3: Research and Innovation in Food Processing Industry | 21st January 2021| 11:00-12:15 PM (IST) | https://youtu.be/jrbOP670vgI |
| Session 4: Future of Industry-Academia Interface in Food Processing Sector | 21st January 2021 | 03:00-04:15 PM (IST) | https://youtu.be/3r1YkGFi5zk |
| Session 5: Zero Waste Management in Food Processing Industry | 22nd January 2021| 11:00-12:15 PM (IST) | https://youtu.be/PbrajAyX4FY |
| Session 6: Food Startups: Transforming Innovation in Indian Food Processing Industry | 22nd January 2021| 03:00-4:15 PM (IST) | https://youtu.be/SBYDzIBO624 |
Snapshots of Show Report: 20-22 January, 2021
| Parameters | Numbers |
|---|---|
| Total No of Visits to the Exhibition Stalls: | 4518 |
| Total No of Cards Exchanged: | 297 |
| Total Footfall for 6 Sessions in the Virtual Auditorium: | 2634 |
| Total Footfall for 6 Sessions in the Auditorium: | 2634 |
| Total No of YouTube Views: | 1752 |