Mysuru:  City-based top food technology institute Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) has been preparing to take up a pilot study on Nutri Breakfast even as the Central government has proposed to launch for school children on the lines of mid-day meals in the country.

CFTRI scientists, who worked on these foods, said that the products identified for the breakfast programme conform to regional tastes. The Institute’s Traditional Foods and Sensory Science Department has identified 50 ‘ready-to-cook’ and ‘ready-to-eat’ products with nutritional value.

In South India, the study will be carried out in five government schools in Mysuru district. It will also be undertaken in Maharashtra (West), Odisha (East), Haryana (North) and Manipur (North-East). The Institute plans to submit a report to the government by next year.

Field trials

K. Venkatesh Murthy, Chief Scientist and Head, Department of Traditional Foods and Sensory Science, CFTRI, said that the products will be given to school children for about a month.  “Based on the acceptance of these foods, recommendations will be made to the government for further measures. Understanding the foods liked in those regions, we have developed the foods for the field trials,” he added.

“The proposal is similar to midday meals. Likewise, there are plans to launch breakfast for the children to address nutritional issues,” he said. Recently, CFTRI had developed five nutritional food products for Anganawadis in Mysuru to address nutritional deficiencies among pre-school children.

Rice mix, high-protein rusk, energy food, nutri-chikki with Spirulina, nutri-sprinkle, sesame paste and fortified mango bars were the products. According to scientists, the green colour helps in retaining its rich nutritional content. Amla (Indian gooseberries) is reckoned to be a powerful anti-oxidant.

Murthy said amla is a rich source of Vitamin C and largely used in the preparation of Ayurvedic drugs. The powder has a shelf life of six months and does not lose its colour even after six months unlike the dried powder available in the market, he explained.

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