The first day of an international cold chain seminar – the first ICE Global Cold Chain India Expo 2009 – remained mainly focused on the construction of cold storage and refrigeration logistics.
At this tough economic time, when the focus is on optimising resources, speakers at the conference suggested means and ways to keep the agricultural products and fresh meat cuts afresh. In India, despite a rich harvest of fruits or vegetables, quality produce in sufficient quantities does not reach the end consumer in most parts of the country. And the reason is the lack of information of modern cold chain and post harvesting management. Commenting on the modernisation of cold stores, K K Mitra, senior general manager, Lloyd Insulations India Ltd said, “Undoubtedly, the same amount of agricultural products harvested from orchards are not being made freshly available to the end consumers because we destroy huge amounts while sorting, packaging, transporting and finally while marketing. So, to curb this huge loss, post harvest management becomes a compelling requirement.”
“Modern practices in cold store construction are also required in order to keep the commodities fresh for longer duration,” he commented.
Speaking about the prospects of frozen foods, M S Manjunath, head – Marketing & Exports, Rinac India said, “Frozen is fresher than fresh. The conjunction of low temperature and high humidity levels inside the stores make the outlets ideal for process of metabolism of stored commodities.”
Manjunath further stressed, “The stored commodities can be kept fresh for long duration by adopting the methods of blast freezing, fluidised bed freezing, plate freezing and cryogenic freezing.” He further pointed out that the method of injecting ammonia reduces the loss of moisture, decaying probability, and physiological breakdown in the stored commodities.
The first ICE Global Cold Chain India Expo 2009 created a platform for knowledge sharing and business networking through projection of innovative and cost effective technologies and display of relevant Cold Chain services and equipments. The event was held between 11-12 November 2009 at Ashok Hotel, New Delhi.
Exhibitors in cold chain industry included perishable cargo handling, perishable storage, cold chain equipment for perishable produce, cold room and refrigeration systems, cold storage machinery & services, environment & combustion control system, heat exchange coils, pack houses/ warehousing, fresh fruits & vegetables, poultry and dairy, food processing, food packaging, financial institutions & banks.
– Diwakar Kumar
