Swiss technology firm Bühler India has announced a collaboration with Nutrihub, a business incubator hosted by the Indian Institute of Millet Research, ICAR–IIMR, Hyderabad.
The collaboration seeks to advance millet processing technologies in India. IIMR conducts research to increase productivity of millets and their diversified utilisation at a national level.
India produces approximately 19-20 million tonnes of millets annually, yet only about 2 million tonnes are processed on an industrial scale. Bühler India, in collaboration with Nutrihub-IIMR is committed to tackling the challenges in millet processing, focusing on extending shelf life, enhancing flour properties, and increasing processing yields, the company said in a statement.
A key part of the initiative involves research at Bühler’s Application Centre and Analytical Laboratory for the most effective grinding methods to achieve superior product quality. The centre has six process lines and over 30 machines to conduct product and machine trials. The analytical laboratory conducts physical, chemical, and quality analyses of grains.
Shashidhar Subramanya, Head of Corporate Technology, Bühler India, said, “We are committed to fostering innovation in the food processing industry, and millets hold immense potential for the future of food. This collaboration with Nutrihub-IIMR brings together our expertise in processing technologies with the institutes’ in-depth knowledge of millets. We are confident that this partnership will yield significant advancements in processing solutions, making millets more accessible, nutritious, and enjoyable for consumers around the world.”
B Dayakar Rao, CEO, Nutrihub, IIMR said, “This collaboration is part of a larger strategic alliance between Bühler and Nutrihub, aiming to revolutionise millet processing worldwide. The collaboration focuses on researching the effects of different milling technologies on major millets and specifying milled millet fraction requirements for various end-user product applications. By improving the efficiency, quality and versatility of millet-based products, this research opens new markets and applications for millets’ processing and value addition worldwide.”
