Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
PAU signs agreement for potato-based Wadian technology
Babushahi Bureau
Ludhiana, October 25, 2024: The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) entered into an agreement with Doctor Kissan Agro Enterprises, village Alipur, Khanna, Ludhiana, for licensing of potato wadian technology. Dr GS Manes, Officiating Director of Research, PAU; and Mr Jaspreet Singh, Proprietor, Doctor Kissan Agro Enterprises, signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA), in the presence of Dr GS Mangat, Additional Director of Research (Agriculture).
Dr Satbir Singh Gosal, Vice-Chancellor, PAU; and Dr AS Dhatt, Director of Research, congratulated Dr Poonam A Sachdev, Principal Food Technologist (Vegetable), and Dr Sukhpreet Kaur, Food Technologist (Fruit and Vegetable), for the commercialization of this technology.
Dr Sachdev said that nutritionally enriched wadian could be developed from both fresh potato mash as well as dehydrated potato flour which provided significantly more bioactive compounds including ascorbic acid, total phenolics and antioxidant activity and high sensory acceptability than traditional dal wadi.
This technology has been developed to utilize medium and high sugar potato varieties that were otherwise not considered fit for processing, she added.Dr Sukhpreet Kaur highlighted that potato products were liked by every generation and this technology ensured taste and nutrition.
Dr Khushdeep Dharni, Associate Director of Technology Marketing and IPR Cell, stated that processing technologies carried immense value in the context of fruits and vegetables.
These technologies enhanced profitability and were helpful in tackling the problem of price fluctuations, especially during glut production, he observed.
Further, Dr Dharni said that Technology Marketing and IPR Cell was catering to the needs of the small-scale entrepreneurs and startups by providing them opportunities for expanding their business through commercialization.