KARNAL: Himanshu Pathak, Secretary DARE & Director General Indian Council of Agricultural Research on Sunday launched “Bajra Lassi” milk-pearl millet composite based fermented beverage at National Dairy Research Institute’s (NDRI) milk parlour.
Scientists claimed that the beverage offers quality proteins, fibers, micronutrients specially iron besides containing live healthy lactic bacteria.
The product was prepared by the Under-graduate (UG) students of the institute under Experiential Learning programme.
Pathak appreciated the efforts of the students and faculty of the institute in developing milk-millet composite based healthy products.
Pathak said that “By developing the technology of such novel products, we can offer a variety of millet based products to domestic as well as global consumers. During the International year of Millets, Indian Council of Agricultural Research is popularizing and providing a wide range of millet products for healthy eating”.
Dheer Singh, Director & Vice Chancellor of ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal said that “ICAR-NDRI is committed to offer milk-millet products through student’s Experiential Learning Unit. Students will also learn the business intricacies and the issues associated in the food supply chain”.
He said that an acceptable Bajra lassi is manufactured by mixing bajra flour with milk followed by processing, inoculating with appropriate lactic culture and fermenting to desired acidity level. The fermented mass is mixed with potable water and optional additives are added.
Singh further said that the technology developed by the scientists of Dairy Technology Division of the institute is commercialized to three companies.
