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Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur

The history of agricultural education in Kerala can be traced back to the year 1896 when a scheme was evolved in the erstwhile Travancore State to train a few young men in scientific agriculture at the Demonstration Farm, Karamana, Thiruvananthapuram, presently, the Cropping Systems Research Centre under Kerala Agricultural University. Agriculture was introduced as an optional subject in the middle school classes in the State in 1922 when an Agricultural Middle School was started at Aluva, Ernakulam District. The popularity and usefulness of this school led to the starting of similar institutions at Kottarakkara and Konni in 1928 and 1931 respectively. Agriculture was later introduced as an optional subject for Intermediate Course in 1953. In 1955, the erstwhile Government of Travancore-Cochin started the Agricultural College and Research Institute at Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram and the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at Mannuthy, Thrissur for imparting higher education in agricultural and veterinary sciences, respectively. These institutions were brought under the direct administrative control of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Animal Husbandry, respectively. With the formation of Kerala State in 1956, these two colleges were affiliated to the University of Kerala. The post-graduate programmes leading to M.Sc. (Ag), M.V.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees were started in 1961, 1962 and 1965 respectively. On the recommendation of the Second National Education Commission (1964-66) headed by Dr. D.S. Kothari, the then Chairman of the University Grants Commission, one Agricultural University in each State was established. The State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) were established in India as an integral part of the National Agricultural Research System to give the much needed impetus to Agriculture Education and Research in the Country. As a result the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) was established on 24th February 1971 by virtue of the Act 33 of 1971 and started functioning on 1st February 1972. The Kerala Agricultural University is the 15th in the series of the SAUs. In accordance with the provisions of KAU Act of 1971, the Agricultural College and Research Institute at Vellayani, and the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, were brought under the Kerala Agricultural University. In addition, twenty one agricultural and animal husbandry research stations were also transferred to the KAU for taking up research and extension programmes on various crops, animals, birds, etc. During 2011, Kerala Agricultural University was trifurcated into Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU), Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) and Kerala Agricultural University (KAU). Now the University has seven colleges (four Agriculture, one Agricultural Engineering, one Forestry, one Co-operation Banking & Management), six RARSs, seven KVKs, 15 Research Stations and 16 Research and Extension Units under the faculties of Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering and Forestry. In addition, one Academy on Climate Change Adaptation and one Institute of Agricultural Technology offering M.Sc. (Integrated) Climate Change Adaptation and Diploma in Agricultural Sciences respectively are also functioning in Kerala Agricultural University.

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20215
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Subject: Processing and Food Engineering × Author: KAU × End date: 2023 × Start date: 2021 × Type: Thesis ×
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Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Technology refinement and food safety management system assessment of food processing enterprises facilitated through agri-business incubators
    (Department of Processing and Food Engineering,KCAET,Tavanur, 2021) Binuja Thomas; KAU; Sudheer, K P
    The performance analysis of the food processing enterprises facilitated through the fully functional six ABIs in Kerala was carried out to adjudge the agripreneurial ecosystem in the State in general and the incubation facilities in particular. The performance of the selected food processing enterprises in terms of technology adaptability, upgradation, value addition, product diversification and FSMS implementation was analysed. The majority (86.67%) of the enterprises succeeded in value addition and 76.67 % enterprises succeeded in product diversification. The composite score for FSMS implementation in the enterprises was found to be ‘High’ with an index value of 82.6. Vacuum impregnation an emerging tool to enrich fruit matrix with desirable solutes was introduced for the development of IMF, as part of the refinement of technologies of KAU-ABI. Vacuum impregnated pineapple with improved sensory and functional properties was developed. The quality parameters namely water activity, yellowness index, TSS, firmness, moisture content, solid gain were analysed. The optimised process parameters were process temperature (55ºC), vacuum pressure (23 kPa), solution concentration (55ºBrix) and impregnation time (20 min). The standardisation of the process protocol for the development of protein enriched RTC pasta was undertaken as the second technology refinement in the study. The basic pasta formulation was modified with different levels of protein supplements in each category: mushroom powder (5%, 10% and 15%), defatted coconut flour (10%, 15% and 20%), and defatted soya flour (20%, 25% and 30%). The sensory evaluation using fuzzy logic model was carried out and based on the cooking qualities and nutritive value, the feed composition was standardised. The best treatment of each category was 5% MP, 10% DFC, 25% DSF. The assessment of FSMS implementation in the selected enterprises supported by KAU-ABI gave an insight to the technological and managerial activities to control the potential hazards. HACCP plan for each product based on the CCPs was developed to ensure food safety and total quality management. In addition, an information support system on ABIs was developed to facilitate technology enterprise linkage.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Development and evaluation of a pneumatic extruder for production of fortified rice noodles (idiyappam)
    (Department of Processing and Food Engineering, KCAET, Tavanur, 2021) Dilsha, Suresh; KAU; Prince, M V
    The traditional food products of various regions are now developing into food processing business. Marketing of these kind of culinary products will enhance the more income, jobs as well as minimizes post-harvest. Traditionally rice noodles or idiyappam is prepared by pressing the rice flour water mix through the die with holes of required diameter manually. It is a time consuming and energy intensive laborious process. There are motorized idiyappam machines are available. But such motorized extruders are complicated in design, energy intensive and lacking in precision with more moving parts and associated gear mechanisms. Pneumatic engineering is based on the compressed air or compressed inert gas. In this study a pneumatic extruder was developed for the production of fortified rice noodles, which composed of frame assembly, pneumatic cylinder, compressor, air filter regulator, double solenoid valve, pneumatic pipes/tubes, pneumatic fittings, timer, flow control valve, extruder die, dough cylinder , noodle collecting plate, plate holding section and DC motor. In order to evaluate the developed system towards extrusion fortified rice noodles, the effect of process parameters which would influence the capacity, energy and rate of extrusion such as pneumatic pressure of 600, 700 and 800 kPa, speed of the piston 0.05,0.06 and 0.07 m/s, jackfruit seed flour proportion in the blend of 5, 8 and 11% were studied. Physical properties, cooking properties, nutritional profile and sensory scores were analysed. The optimised operating condition of pneumatic pressure, speed of the piston and jackfruit seed flour proportion in the blend were found to be of 800 kPa, 0.07 m/s, 5 % respectively. From this study, it may be derived that the jackfruit seed flour fortified rice idiyappam prepared through the pneumatic extruder developed under this study at optimised operating condition of 800 kPa of pneumatic pressure, speed of the piston 0.07 m/s and 5% fortification of jackfruit seed flour in the rice powder resulted in production of higher capacity of noodles at lower energy level and higher rate of extrusion. These noodles were found to be on par with cooking and physico-chemical qualities, nutritionally rich and organoleptically superior with that of traditionally prepared rice idiyappam.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Effect of combined treatments of ultrasound and ultraviolet radiation for preservation of pineapple juice
    (Department of Processing and Food Engineering, KCAET, Tavanur, 2021) Anjaly, M G; KAU; Prince, M V
    Ultraviolet (UV) treatment is an alternative tool for food preservation. UV radiation inactivates microorganisms by DNA denaturation and is widely used for disinfect water and liquid food products. The application of UV radiation is limited due to its low penetration depth. Ultrasound (US) is another promising technique which can be employed for preservation of fruit food products. The microbial inactivation in US is mainly due to cavitation. Cavitation leads to destruction of cells, production of free radicals, formation of shock waves and denaturation of enzymes.US preserve the organoleptic and nutritional qualities of food products. Even though UV radiation and US treatment has their own potential as a preservative method, but application of any single treatment would not be competent enough to kill all microorganism. Therefore, a new concept has been extensively evaluated to combine ultraviolet and ultrasound. This combined treatment would optimize the strength of each individual treatment and reduce each of their individual weaknesses. This present study envisages development of US assisted UV radiation treatment system for pineapple juice and evaluation of developed system in retaining the quality characteristics and microbial safety. The system consists of ultrasonic bath with chiller (Sonicator), storage tank, ultraviolet treatment system and recirculation system. The treatments were carried out with three different US time intervals 10 min, 20 min and 30 min and three different UV dosages 1000 mJ/cm2 , 1300 mJ/cm2 , and 1600 mJ/cm2 . Combined US and UV treatments with US exposure 20 min and UV dosage 1600 mJcm-2 were found to be superior based on physicochemical, microbiological and organoleptical characteristics.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Technology refinement and food safety management system assessment of food processing enterprises facilitated through agri-business incubators
    (Department of Processing and Food Engineering, KCAET, Tavanur, 2021) Binuja Thomas; KAU; Sudheer, K P
    The performance analysis of the food processing enterprises facilitated through the fully functional six ABIs in Kerala was carried out to adjudge the agripreneurial ecosystem in the State in general and the incubation facilities in particular. The performance of the selected food processing enterprises in terms of technology adaptability, upgradation, value addition, product diversification and FSMS implementation was analysed. The majority (86.67%) of the enterprises succeeded in value addition and 76.67 % enterprises succeeded in product diversification. The composite score for FSMS implementation in the enterprises was found to be ‘High’ with an index value of 82.6. Vacuum impregnation an emerging tool to enrich fruit matrix with desirable solutes was introduced for the development of IMF, as part of the refinement of technologies of KAU-ABI. Vacuum impregnated pineapple with improved sensory and functional properties was developed. The quality parameters namely water activity, yellowness index, TSS, firmness, moisture content, solid gain were analysed. The optimised process parameters were process temperature (55ºC), vacuum pressure (23 kPa), solution concentration (55ºBrix) and impregnation time (20 min). The standardisation of the process protocol for the development of protein enriched RTC pasta was undertaken as the second technology refinement in the study. The basic pasta formulation was modified with different levels of protein supplements in each category: mushroom powder (5%, 10% and 15%), defatted coconut flour (10%, 15% and 20%), and defatted soya flour (20%, 25% and 30%). The sensory evaluation using fuzzy logic model was carried out and based on the cooking qualities and nutritive value, the feed composition was standardised. The best treatment of each category was 5% MP, 10% DFC, 25% DSF. The assessment of FSMS implementation in the selected enterprises supported by KAU-ABI gave an insight to the technological and managerial activities to control the potential hazards. HACCP plan for each product based on the CCPs was developed to ensure food safety and total quality management. In addition, an information support system on ABIs was developed to facilitate technology enterprise linkage.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Development of small scale parboiling cum drying unit for paddy processing
    (Department of Processing and Food Engineering, Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Tavanur, 2021) Ann Annie, Shaju; KAU; Sudheer, K P
    Parboiling is an optional unit operation in paddy processing, which results in enhanced milling efficiency with improved nutritional quality of the rice. It is accomplished through the process of soaking, steaming and drying, to gelatinize the starch. Technological advancement in the industrial parboiling has resulted in extensive improvisation of process controls in large-scale industrial parboiling units. But enormous initial investments required for infrastructure, along with the time, labour and energy involved in paddy parboiling made it uneconomical for small scale milling and processing units to undertake parboiling. In this scenario, a small scale parboiling cum drying unit with reduced drudgery and less human interventions was fabricated in this present study for paddy processing and its evaluation was done. The unit mainly consists of two soaking cum steaming chambers (100 kg/tank), LSU dryer, bucket elevator, steam boiler and heat furnace. Soaking and steaming was carried out in the same chamber and drying was carried out in the LSU dryer. The paddy crop variety Jyothi was parboiled at different soaking and steaming times (20, 25 and 30 min) and drying temperatures (50, 60 and 70 ° C) in both hot soaking and cold soaking methods. The performance evaluation of the developed unit was done by analysing the milling and cooking qualities of the parboiled paddy. The treatments were optimised using the Response Surface Methodology (Box Behnken) method. An increase in steaming time exerted a significant effect on milling and cooking qualities of parboiled paddy. The increase in drying time decreased the milling efficiency, head rice yield and hardness of the parboiled milled rice. After optimisation, for hot soaking, milling efficiency of 65.43% and head rice yield of 87.78% were obtained with a soaking time of 7 h, steaming time of 26.07 min and drying temperature of 52 ° C. In case of cold soaking, milling efficiency of 62.15% and head rice yield of 81.93% were obtained with a soaking time of 60 h, steaming time of 27 min and drying temperature of 52 ° C. The processing cost of parboiling one-kilogram paddy in the developed unit were Rs. 2.55/-. The benefit cost ratio for the parboiling process was found to be 1.33:1, which revealed that the developed unit was economically feasible.