Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has entered into an agreement with a private firm for commercialisation of vitamin D-enriched mushroom powder, officials said, adding that the move is aimed at addressing the vitamin deficiency among the public.
Ajmer Singh Dhatt, director of research, PAU, and Ripudaman Singh from Agam Earth Foods signed the memorandum of agreement (MoA) on behalf of their respective organisations. As per the MoA, the PAU has offered non-exclusive rights for production and marketing of vitamin D-enriched mushroom powder to the firm.
Sonika Sharma, professor, Department of Food and Nutrition, said mushrooms are the only vegetarian food which contain Vitamin D and the quantity can be enhanced by exposing them to UV radiation and sunlight. “The content of vitamin D is enhanced up to 400 times in UV irradiated mushrooms. UV-treated button and oyster mushroom powder is rich in proteins, fibre and minerals, such as iron, copper, phosphorus, potassium, zinc and selenium. Vitamin D-enriched mushroom powder is a food-based approach for elevating serum vitamin levels among the deficient population,” she said.
“There is glut production of mushrooms in winter and being a perishable crop, there is a need for value addition at a commercial level,” she added, asserting that processing mushrooms ensure their availability throughout the year, and help enhance farmers’ incomes.
Khushdeep Dharni, associate director, Technology Marketing and IPR Cell, said the technology to develop this powder provides a solution for dealing with a major health issue. It has gained traction on the ground, which is evident from its commercialisation for the fifth time, he added.
Training in value-addition, marketing of bakery products
School of Business Studies, PAU, organised a focused training programme on processing, value addition and marketing of bakery and confectionery products, said officials.
The training was organised in collaboration with National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations – Technology Business Incubators (NIDHI-TBI), under the Centre’s Department of Science and Technology.
The officials said the PAU is making continuous efforts to promote entrepreneurship in the food processing sector and the programme was aimed to equip university-backed startups with the technical proficiency and business insight necessary to explore opportunities in the rapidly expanding bakery and confectionery market.
They said the sessions were designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the production workflow, covering aspects such as selection of ingredients, formulation of recipes, preparation techniques, baking processes and finishing methods for a range of products.
Emphasis was placed on maintaining hygiene, achieving product consistency, improving shelf life and adopting appropriate packaging solutions to enhance product appeal and market readiness.
