Hyderabad: Organic is in. It is not uncommon to find organic vegetables and fruits. But now there will also be meat from organically reared sheep. The ICAR National Meat Research Center here in Chengicherla on the outskirts of the city has developed organic feed and will certify the sheep fed for it, said its director, Dr SB Barbuddhe.
‘We certify the sheep that are raised organically. This is being done for the first time in India, ” he said, adding meat from organically reared sheep is part of efforts to offer value-added products in the meat segment.
It is developing an organized meat sector through meat production, processing and use technologies and is serving the needs of meat producers, processors and consumers. The institute is also working with Crida in Santoshnagar on developing protocols to raise different animals organically, he said.
Among other things, ICAR-NRCM is working on the development of packaging products and technologies to improve the shelf life of meat. It recently entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Indian Institute of Packaging on this.
The institute has already developed a sensor that will see if the stored meat is usable or spoiled.
“Meat is perishable. Some stores store the meat longer than the required period. Our senor identifies that the color changes when it is spoiled. This sticker consists of natural pigments and a nanomaterial. It detects biochemical or microbial changes in the food. It can detect specific pathogens that develop in the food or the gases that spoil through food and change the color accordingly. We have this technology ready for commercialization, ”he explained.
It has also developed a biodegradable packaging for meat products that uses biopolymers, nanomaterials and bioplastics.
‘The meat sector has great business potential. Many new-era entrepreneurs have incorporated meat and value-added as their main business, ” he said, adding his incubator for agribusinesses has already helped the self-help group in Siddipet set up a business selling pickles and raw meat involves. .
Packaging technologies, online shopping, value-added products and related aspects have a good demand. He said Hyderabad was selling Haleem worth about 1,000 in just one month. Hyderabadi Biryani is also the preferred dish of locals as well as those who visit Hyderabad, he said.
‘The Telangana government has introduced a groundbreaking, high-spending sheep breeding scheme. It will galvanize the entire chain of producers, processors, retail, storage and consumers, ”he said. Among other things, technologies are being worked on to identify counterfeit meat.
Source: Telangana Today