Food lab to supply packed meals to medicos

MYSURU: With the country battling the rapidly spreading coronavirus, Mysuru-based Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL) is ready to supply its popular Meals- Ready-to-Eat packets to COVID warriors. DFRL, a premier lab under DRDO, has already readied four tonnes of ration for items like veg pulao, biriyani, dal and rice, sources said.

It is geared to ramp up production, if needed, and is awaiting directions from defence headquarters, sources added. DRDO (Life Sciences) director- general AK Singh said, “If a large number of people is infected, serving food through community kitchens could be risky, and paramedics and hospital workers might not get time to prepare their own food.

DFRL is working on providing food packets to health workers and others who are in the frontline of the fight against the virus.” He said the long shelf life would help. DFRL is engaged in food science and technology research, especially for defence forces and space travel. Its food packets are supplied to the armed forces. DRDO is also helping BHEL and Mysuru-based Scanray in ramping up production of ventilators by assisting them in sourcing components and finding alternatives to imported parts, which are in short supply.